«•      »: 


LIBRARY  OF  THE  THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY 


PRINCETON,    N.    J. 


Purchased  by  the 
Mrs.  Robert  Lenox  Kennedy  Church   History  Fund. 


Dwision.3A5^  2.6 
Section...\..\....iDL..^  ^ 

h8 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2009  with  funding  from 

Princeton  Theological  Seminary  Library 


http://www.archive.org/details/sermonatsemiceOOmorr 


SEJtM  ON 


SEMI-CENTENNIAL    CELEBRATION 


CON  SKC  RATION 


SAINT  LUKE'S  CHURCH, 


(iERMANTOWN. 


AUGUST    27,    IB6B. 


WITH    A    SKETCH    OF   THE     HISTORY    OK   THE     PARISH     FROM     ITS    ORIGIN. 


REV.  B.  WISTAR    MORRIS,  Rector. 


ai^RMAN'l  OWN  : 

HMVIi.    I'ltlMKlS.   MAIN    STUKKI',   BKI.clW   K.    K.   HF.POT. 
lt:t)S. 


PREFACE 


The  Rector  having  reminded  the  Vestry  at  their  May  meeting, 
that  the  Fiftieth  Anniversary  of  the  Consecration  of  the  Church 
would  occur  on  the  27th  of  August,  and  suggested  the  propriety 
of  some  notice  of  the  period,  a  Committee  consisting  of  Messrs. 
James  R.  Lambdin,  Charles  Magarge,  Thomas  H.  Mont- 
gomery, and  George  R.  x\rnold  was  appointed,  to  act  with 
the  Rector  in  providing  for  a  suitable  observance  of  this  in- 
teresting event.  It  was  subsequently  determined  by  the  Com- 
mittee, to  celebrate  the  occasion  by  a  public  service  and  sermon, 
with  the  Holy  Communion,  to  be  followed  by  a  "  social  reunion" 
in  the  Parish  Building.  The  willing  aid  of  the  ladies  having 
been  called  in,  due  preparations  were  made,  and  clerical  and  lay 
friends  invited  to  join  in  the  celebration.  Remembering  that 
all  the  Rectors  of  the  Parish  for  the  period  of  more  than  half  a 
century  were  still  living,  and  that  they  had  signified  their  desire 
and  purpose  to  be  present  on  this  interesting  occasion,  much 
pleasure  and  profit  were  anticipated  by  all  the  members  of  the 
wongregation. 

The  following  account  of  the  services  is  taken  from  the 
Evening  Bulletin  of  the  28th  of  x\ugust  : — 

"  The  venerable  Parish  of  St.  Luke's  Church  in  Germantown 
was  the  scene  of  a  deeply  interesting  series  of  services  on  Thurs- 
day last.  The  occasion  being  the  celebration  of  its  golden  wed- 
ding, it  having  attained  its  fiftieth  year  from  tlie  date  of  its 
consecration  by  Bishop  White.  The  occasion  was  one  that,  with 
all  its  attendant  circumstances,  will  not  readily  be  forgotten  by 
any  who  were  present,  and  by  the  members  of  the  Parish,  old 
and  young,  will  b(i  treasured  as  a  landmark  in  its  history.  A 
printed   invitation   having  been   addre^sed   to  the  clergy  of  the 


4 


city  and  to  all  others  in  more  remote  sections  who  had  in  any 
way  been  connected  with  the  Parish  and  its  history,  an  immense 
concourse  assembled  and  completely  filled  the  sacred  edifice. 
Owing  to  the  admirable  arrangements  made  by  the  Rector  and 
the  lay  officers  of  the  Church,  all  the  services  were  conducted 
with  perfect  order,  and  without  the  slightest  confusion.  Besides 
the  Rector,  the  iiev.  B.  W.  Morris,  there  were  present  the 
Bight  Bev.  Bishop  of  the  Diocese,  the  Bev.  Edward  B.  Lippitt, 
(formerly  a  Bector  of  the  Parish,)  Bev.  Drs.  Beasley,  Clerc, 
Mombert,  Suddards,  Yarnall  and  Huchanan  ;  the  Bev.  Messrs. 
Clark,  Davis,  Evans,  Newman,  Boberts,  Watson,  (of  St.  James 
the  Less,)  Getz,  Littell,  Murphy,  Perry,  J.  H.  Brown,  Matlack, 
Greene,  (of  Illinois,)  White,  Coleman,  Harris,  (of  Chestnut  Hill,) 
Bobbins,  Lundy,  Childs,  Field,  Colton,  Spackman,  Stewart, 
Turner,  Ely,  Barrow,  Diehl,  Brooks,  Bonnell  and  Newton. 

"  Twenty-four  of  the  clergy,  besides  the  Bishop  and  Bector, 
occupied  the  chancel,  in  surplices.  The  procession  moved  from 
the  Parish  Building,  headed  by  the  Bishop  and  the  Rector,  and 
flanked  by  the  laymen,  who  were  led  by  the  officers  of  the  church. 
An  appropriate  selection  from  the  Psalms  was  alternately  recited 
as  a  processional  chant.  Morning  prayer  was  said  by  Rev.  E. 
Y.  Buchanan — (the  lessons  by  Dr.  Yarnall  and  Mr.  Diehl) — 
and  the  prayers  by  the  Bev.  Dr.  Beasley.  The  ante-connnunion 
was  read  by  the  Bev.  Mr.  Spackman,  the  Epistle  and  (lospel  by 
the  venerable  Prof.  Lippitt. 

"The  sermon,  by  the  Bector,  from  Genesis,  xxxii.  10,  was  a 
deeply  interesting  summary  of  the  historical  events  connected 
with  the  early  effiirts  to  organize  the  Parish,  and  of  many  of  the 
incidents  which  the  progress  of  fifty  years  will  always  cluster 
around  a  congregation.  We  regret  that  our  space  will  not  per- 
mit us  to  give  even  an  outline  of  the  eloquent  sermon  which  was 
listened  to  throughout  with  the  most  marked  attention. 

"  Descending  from  the  pulpit,  the  Bector  took  from  the  altar 
a  beautiful  silver  alms-basin  which  he  said  had  been  given  to  the 
Parish  as  a  memorial  of  this  anniversary,  by  members  of  the  Con- 
gregation, and  that  it  was  to  be  used  on  that  occasion  to  receive 


the  first  offerings  for  tlio  first  stone  (whether  the  stone  should  be 
large  or  small)  for  the  foundation  of  a  new,  large  and  more 
beautiful  ehurcli.  It  was  to  be  the  first  contribution  towards  a 
buildin"'  fund.  A  generous  contribution  piled  up  the  two  alms- 
basins  used  on  the  occasion — we  trust  enough  to  furnish  several 
stones.  Bishop  Stevens  stepped  forward  at  the  close  of  the 
Hector's  remarks,  and  in  a  strain  of  simple  eloquence,  touched 
upon  some  of  the  many  pleasant  and  some  of  the  sadder  memories 
of  the  Parish.  The  Holy  Communion  was  then  adnunistered  by 
the  Bishop,  assisted  by  several  of  the  Clergy.  The  benediction 
was  pronounced  by  the  Bishop.  The  music  was  under  the 
direction  of  Professor  A.  Gr.  Eiuerick,  who  presided  at  the  organ 
with  his  accustomed  skill.  The  volunteer  choir  trained  and  led 
by  him,  gave  the  nuisical  selections  in  the  very  best  manner. 
Mr.  Emerick's  participation  in  the  services  was  ot  the  most 
acceptable  and  pleasing  character.  When  the  choir  sang  '  Jerusa- 
lem the  Golden,'  the  Bishop  and  Clergy  retired  to  the  new 
Parish  house,  followed  by  the  laity  of  both  sexes,  who,  witli  the 
children,  were  cordially  invited  to  be  present. 

"The  building  was  the  scene  of  other  incidents,  no  less  in- 
teresting than  those  of  the  morning,  though  somewhat  different. 
The  spacious  room  was  found  to  be  beautifully  decorated  with 
flao-s,  flowers  of  excpiisite  form  and  fragrance,  portraits  of  men 
connected  once  with  the  Church,  and,  last,  but  not  least,  a  feast 
of  cood  things,  which  the  indefatigable  and  hospitable  members 
of  the  Parish  had  supplied  with  counnendable  taste  and  abun- 
dance. The  ladies  certainly  acquitted  themselves  with  admirable 
taste  ill  the  provision  and  the  arrangement,  and  their  faithful 
attendance  upon  tlu'ir  guests.  After  all  had  been  served,  the 
Hector  introduced  successively  Rev.  Messrs.  Lippitt,  Buchanan, 
Bonnell,  Beasley,  Spackman  and  Davis,  and  James  M.  Aertsen, 
Es((.,  who  ehxpiently  addressed  the  meeting,  chiefly  in  recollec- 
tion of  incidents  connected  with  the  Parish  history.  The  spark- 
ling wit  and  happy  allusions  of  some  of  the  speeches  elicited 
considerabh'  api)lause.  Rev.  Mr.  Morris  then  proposed  a  vote 
of  thanks   to   the  venerable   Bishop  of  Wisconsin,  (Right   Kcv. 


6 


Dr.  Kemper,)  whose  early  services,  (given  gratuitously,  for  he 
refused  all  compensation,)  and  contributed  largely  to  the  pro- 
motion and  growth  of  the  Parish.  The  I\ev,  Mr.  Coleman  moved 
a  vote  of  thanks  by  the  guests  for  the  privileges  and  entertain- 
ments of  the  occasion.  Both  of  these  motions  were  responded 
to  with  heartiness. 

"  At  night  the  Church  was  again  filled,  when,  after  evening 
prayer,  addresses  were  delivered  by  Rev.  Messrs.  Eonnell, 
Wm.  W.  Newton,  and  Phillips  Brooks.  This  service  closed  a 
day  that  will  be  long  remembered  by  all  the  parishioners 
especially.  It  was  the  happiest  celebration  in  its  conception, 
arrangement  and  development  that  it  has  ever  been  our  privilege 
to  attend.  There  was  but  one  shadow  over  the  day  and  its  cele- 
bration, and  that  was  the  absence  of  its  late  Rector,  the  vene- 
rable J.  Rodney,  during  forty  years  in  charge  of  the  Parish, 
(now  Emeritus  Rector,)  who  was  detained  with  his  family  at 
Lewes,  Delaware. 

"  We  can  but  hope  that  this  Parish,  which  having  reached  the 
grand  climacteric,  has  now  begun  to  renew  its  youth,  will  go 
forward,  richly  profiting  by  the  lessons  of  the  past.  May  its 
future  be  one  of  brightness  and  prosperity,  and  may  a  new  and 
more  churchly  structure  soon  witness  to  the  untiring  zeal  and 
earnest  piety  of  those  upon  whom  now  devolves  the  character  of 
the  future  of  the  Parish." 

Interesting  letters  were  received  from  the  Bishop  of  Wiscon- 
sin, the  Rev.  C.  M.  Dupuy  (the  first  Rector),  Dr.  Muhlenberg, 
the  Rev.  C.  F,  Knight,  and  also  one  from  Judge  Conyngham, 
whose  parents  were  among  the  earliest  members  of  the  Congrega- 
tion. The  presence  of  these  brethren  would  have  added  still  to 
our  pleasure,  but  they  were  unavoidably  prevented  from  being 
with  us.  Tiie  "  silver  alms-basin"  spoken  of  above,  was  a  me- 
morial of  this  occasion,  and  also  of  deceased  members  of  the 
Parish,  and  bears  an  inscription  giving  its  history  and  purpose. 
It  was  first  used  as  stated,  to  take  the  Offerings  at  this  Semi- 
centennial service  for  the  beginning  of  a  building  fund  for  a  new 
church.     No  previous  notice  had  been  given  of  such  a  jmrpose, 


and  a  very  large  contribution  was  not  looked  for  or  desired.  It 
was  more,  however,  than  was  expected.  The  object  was  to  an- 
nounce the  jiurpose  to  make  a  beginning,  to  take  the  first  step, 
believing  that  in  due  time  we  should  have  the  faith  and  courage 
to  resume  the  enterprise,  and  by  God's  blessing  carry  it  to  a 
successful  end. 

The  importance  of  our  having  a  larger  church  is  every  day 
growing  more  and  more  manifest.  There  are  now  constant 
demands  for  sittings  in  the  Church  which  can  not  be  met,  and 
with  the  rapid  increase  of  our  population  these  demands  will 
increase  also.  Several  months  since  the  Vestry  took  action  in 
this  nuitter,  which  has  yet  to  be  carried  to  any  result.  When 
the  late  Rector,  in  the  Vestry  meeting  of  October  21,  18G7, 
signified  his  intention  of  resigning,  and  a  committee  was  appointed 
to  tender  the  Rectorship  to  the  Assistant  Minister,  a  resolution 
was  also  oftiired  by  Mr.  I).  11.  King  appomting  a  committee  to 
inquire  into  the  feasibility  of  enlarging  the  Church,  and  to 
suggest  a  plan  for  raising  the  means.  The  heartiness  with  which 
this  resolution  was  passed,  had  great  influence  in  determining 
me  to  accept  the  proff"ered  Hectorship,  and  1  refer  to  it  here  to 
remind  the  Vestry  of  their  action,  and  to  exhort  the  congregation 
to  a  cordial  co-operation  in  this  eiiterprise  whenever  undertaken. 
It  is  believed  that  a  plan  can  be  presented,  by  which  a  moderate 
outlay  will  furnish  all  the  additional  room  needed  at  present, 
which  shall  be  at  the  same  time  the  beginning,  and  portion  of  a 
new,  substantial,  and  fitting  Church,  that  shall  occupy  in  part 
the  same  site  as  the  present  building,  and  shelter  and  bless 
within  its  ample  walls,  many  generations  of  those  who  are  to 
come  after  us.     May  God  hasten  it  in  His  time  ! 


SERMON. 


"  1  ;im  not  worthy  ol  the  least  of  all  the  morcips.  and  of  all  thi>  truth,  which 
thou  hast  shewed  unto  thy  servant;  for  with  my  staff  I  passed  over  this 
Jordan  :  and  now  I  am  hecome  two  bands."— (tE>esir  xxxii:  10. 


With  this  reminiscence  of  his  early  loneliness  and 
poverty,  and  this  grateful  acknowledgment  of  his 
present  prosperity  and  abundance,  the  Patriarch 
Jacob  turns  to  the  God  of  his  fathers,  imploring  him 
to  remember  His  promise  to  Abraham  and  to  Isaac, 
and  to  orant  him  deliverance  from  the  violence  he 
leared  at  the  hand  of  his  own  brother  Esau.  A 
pilgrim  and  stranger,  with  nothing  but  the  staff  in 
his  liand,  he  had  at  first  gone  forth  a  wanderer  upon 
the  iace  of  tlie  earth,  but  was  now  returning  to  the 
land  ol'  his  own  people  increased  exceedingly  in  all 
that' in  that  age  constituted  wealth  and  power,  "  and 
had  much  cattle,  and  maid  servants,  and  men  ser- 
vants, and  camels,  and  asses."  This  prosperity  he 
attributes  to  the  mrirn  and  truth  of  God,  while  he 
confesses  that  he  was  unworthy  of  the  least  of  all 
His  favors  and  blessings.  This  reminiscence  of  the 
grateful  Patriarch  —  this  ccmtrast  between  his  first 
humble  and  lonely  passage  of  the  ,lordan  and  the 
signs  ol"  wealth  and   power  with  which  he  returned 


10 


to  its  banks,  with  the  confession  of  his  own  nn- 
worthiness  and  God's  unmerited  goodness,  suggest 
thoughts  not  inappropriate,  it  is  hoped,  to  the  pre- 
sent occasion.  All  this  is  true  of  the  history  we 
are  about  to  relate,  in  the  contrast  between  the  first 
beginnings  of  this  Parish  and  its  subsequent  growth 
and  prosperity,  and  in  the  fact  that  all  is  due  to  the 
mercies  and  to  the  truth  of  that  God  who  keepeth 
his  promise  from  generation  to  generation. 

Any  Christian  congregation  must,  in  the  course 
of  fifty  3^ears,  gather  about  it  a  history  of  lively 
interest  to  all  in  any  way  connected  therewith. 
The  hopes  and  fears,  the  discouragements  and  diffi- 
culties which  invariably  attend  the  beginning  of  such 
an  enterprise,  the  zeal  and  labor,  the  faith  and  per- 
severance requisite  to  any  good  measure  of  success, 
will  ahwiys  make  a  history  worthy  of  record  in 
their  estimation,  who  appreciate  the  blessings  that 
centre  in  and  cluster  around  the  House  of  God. 

Though,  as  is  as  well  known,  this  is  one  of  the 
oldest  towns  in  Pennsylvania,  having  been  settled 
in  1683,  (only  one  year  later  than  Philadelphia 
itself,)  it  was  by  a  German  population,  among  whom 
there  would  be  little  occasion  for  any  religious  ser- 
vices in  the  English  tongue.  Consequently,  it  is 
not  till  after  the  lapse  of  nearly  a  hundred  years, 
that  Ave  find  any  history  of  even  an  occasional  ser- 
vice, })y  any  of  the  missionaries  of  the  Propagation 


11 


Society  who  were  settled  in  neighboring  parishes. 
In  the  year  1760,  however,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Neill, 
who  was  Missionary  at  Oxford  and  Whitemarsh,  was 
compelled  hy  the  hnrnini;-  of  his  "Glebe  Honse," 
to  seek  a  residence  in  Gerniantown,  and  this  led  to 
the  opening  ol  what  were  doubtless  the  first  services 
of  the  Clinrch  of  England  ever  held  here.  The 
account  of  this  is  best  given  in  his  own  words  He 
thus  wi'ites  to  the  Society: 

"  Germantown,  May  Tith,  176U. 
"  I  have  an  invitation  from  some  of  the  English  people  in 
(lermantown  to  preach  for  them,  as  there  is  no  kind  of  English 
worship  in  the  town,  except  a  Quaker  meeting-house  :  and,  in- 
deed, this  is  something  extraordinary,  as  I  don't  know  a  family 
of  the  (Miurch  of  England  in  the  town  but  one,  although  it  con- 
tains three  hundred  houses  ;  but  as  they  are  divided  into  so 
many  sects  that  no  single  sect  is  able  to  support  a  minister  —  I 
mean  the  English  people  —  and  as  I  have  offered  to  preach  for 
them  for  nothing,  Sunday  evenings  after  the  service  is  over,  of 
my  other  churches,  they  readily  embraced  the  offer.  The  use 
of  the  Lutheran  Church  of  the  upper  end  of  Grermantown,  and 
of  the  Calvinist  Church  in  the  middle  of  the  town,  are  both 
offered  to  \ne  by  their  respective  ministers  and  people,  as  they 
appear  more  willing  to  have  a  minister  of  the  Church  of  Eng- 
land to  preach  to  their  people  that  understand  English  (as  most 
of  the  young  |)eople  do)  than  any  other  denomination.  Since  I 
have  had  the  misfortune  of  having  the  Glebe  House,  at  Oxford, 
and  the  best  part  of  my  valuable  effects  destroyed  by  lire,  I 
have  removed  my  family  to  Germantown."* 

In  kee])iiig  with  this   letter  the  Society's  Keport 
lor    1701   says;   '-Mr,  Neill  otficiated  last  summer, 

*  MSS.  IJofiiiiicul.-?  of  tlip  Q^>lU'l•al  (,'on vi'uliou. 


12 


the  Siinda}'  evenings,  in  Germantown,  where  the 
rising:  g-eneration  of  the  Dutch,  who  understand 
English,  are  well  affected  to  the  Chui^ch  of  Eng- 
land." 

We  suppose  there  is  little  doubt  that  these  ser- 
vices were  held  in  the  old  church  on  Market  Square, 
where  now  stands  the  church  of  Dr.  Helffenstein, 
and  where  subsequently  the  services  of  our  own 
church  were  regularly  held  for  several  years. 

There  is  no  record  of  any  services  after  those  of 
Mr.  Neill  for  a  period  of  many  ja^ars — though  we 
may  conjecture  that  if  there  were  any  number  of 
families  members  of  the  Church  of  England  then 
resident  hi  Germantown,  they  would  not  have  been 
neglected  l)y  the  neighboring  clergy.  Mr.  Neill 
was  succeeded  at  Oxford  l)y  the  Rev.  Dr.  William 
Smith,  who  officiated  here  after  the  Revolution  and 
may  possibly  have  done  so  at  this  earlier  date.  In 
the  year  1777,  as  is  well  known,  the  liritish  ti'()0])s 
occupied  Germantown  and  vicinity — (xeneral  Howe 
living  some  time  at  Stenton,  and  some  time  in  the 
Morris  House,  on  Main  Street,  opposite  Church 
Lane — and  it  is  quite  probable  that  some  English 
chaplain  of  the  army  otficiated  in  the  Dutch  Church 
almost  directly  opposite  to  General  Howe's  head- 
(piarters.  This  is  known  to  have  been  the  case 
with  the  chaplains  ol  the  Hessians,  who  j)reuched 
also   in   the    Lutheran  (Jhurch    in    the  upper  end  of 


IS 


the  town.  1  have  been  informed  by  the  grandson 
of  the  Ilev.  Dr.  Smith,  that  he  is  in  possession 
of  a  letter  from  General  Washington,  inviting  Dr. 
Smith  to  officiate  at  Whitemarsh  while  the  army 
lav  in  that  neighborhood;  but  it  was  not  till  fully 
ten  vears  after  the  establishment  of  peace,  and  in 
the  year  1703,  that  we  hear  of  any  renewal  of  the 
services  of  the  Church  of  England  in  this  place. 
The  events  of  that  year,  however,  made  a  great 
change  in  this  hitherto  quiet,  and  strictly,  German- 
town.  The  yellow  fever  of  1793  brought  out 
here  the  officers  of  the  General  and  State  Govern- 
ments, and  of  the  City  Banks,  filling  the  houses 
with  new  inmates,  speaking  a  new  language.  Gen- 
eral \Yashington  took  up  his  residence  in  the  Morris 
House  previously  occupied  by  the  British  Comman- 
der. Thcmas  Jefferson,  Secretary  of  State,  and 
John  Randol])h,  Attorney  General,  lived  in  the 
house  now  used  by  the  Germantown  Bank.  The 
three-story  house  two  doors  above  the  corner  of 
Main  Street  and  School  Lane  was  occupied  by  the 
United  States  Bank,  and  every  house  and  lodging- 
place  that  could  be  procured,  was  taken  possession 
of  by  the  citizens  of  Philadelphia  fleeing  from  that 
dreadful  plague.  It  was  proposed  that  Congress 
should  also  come  here,  and  upon  some  incpiiry  made 
by  General  Washington,  of  the  Trustees  of  the 
Academy,  it  was  resolved  that  they  would  take 
measures  to  accommodate  the  Congress  of  the  United 
States,  in  their  building,  at  its  next  Session.     It  was 


1.4 


during  this  sad  period  that  the  services  of  our  Church 
were  again  comnisnced  in  this  place.  They  were 
held  in  the  same  old  Dutch  Church,  on  Market  vSquare, 
where  among  the  regular  attendants  were  General 
Washington  and  his  family.  We  have  the  name  of 
no  clergyman  connected  with  these  services  but 
that  of  the  Ilev.  Dr.  Smith,  of  whom  we  have  al- 
ready spoken.  He  resided  at  the  Falls  of  Schuyl- 
kill, and  was  doubtless  more  frequent  in  his  attend- 
ance here  than  any  other  clergyman.  The  late 
Samuel  Breck  of  this  city,  remembered  being  at  the 
house  of  Dr.  Smith,  at  Schuylkill  Falls,  of  a  Sunday 
morning,  and  seeing  him,  dressed  in  gown  and  bands, 
waiting  rather  impatiently  the  tardy  movements 
of  his  coachman,  who  was  to  drive  him  to  German- 
town,  wdiere  he  was  to  officiate  in  the  services  of  the 
Church. 

But  with  the  return  of  the  officers  of  the  Govern- 
ment and  other  citizens  to  Philadelphia,  these 
services  seem  to  have  been  discontinued,  and  we 
have  no  record  of  their  being  resumed  again  for  a 
period  of  eighteen  years.  After  the  yenv  of  the 
yellow  fever,  simdry  families  from  the  city  ))egan 
to  make  this  neighborhood  the  place  of  their  sum- 
mer residence,  and  the  probabilities  are  that  the 
services  of  our  Church  were  occasionally  held  here, 
at  least  in  tlie  summer  season.  But  we  have  no 
record  of  any  such  services  until  the  yeai-  1811, 
when  tlie}'  weiv  regularly  established.* 

*  Th"  nariativf  wliicli  toUows  tlii.<  sermon  coutiiins  a  skotcli  ol  tlir  liistury 


15 


Mr.  Kodiiey's  rectorship,  beginning  in  1825  and 
covering  a  period  of  over  forty-two  years,  would 
alone  rurnisli  ample  materials  for  an  entire  discourse, 
but  it  will  be  impossible  to  enter  into  details  here. 
During  that  period  the  Church  has  been  tw^ice  en- 
larged, the  tower  and  spire  erected,  the  basement 
titled  and  furnished  for  the  Sunday  School,  the 
oTOunds  enlarired  by  the  addition  of  land  on  the 
south  side,  a  llectory  and  large  lot  purchased  on  the 
north,  and  a  handsome  and  substantial  parish  build- 
ing erected  near  to  the  Church.  The  report  of  the 
Parish  to  the  Convention  shows  that  at  the  begin- 
ning of  Mr.  Rodney's  rectorship  there  w^ere  fifteen 
connnunicants,  while  the  last  report  shows  three 
hundred  and  sixty  communicants,  ii\\<\  collections  and 
contributions  amounting  to  $18',782. 

While  there  are  few  clergymen,  in  these  chang- 
ing times,  that  have  been  connected  for  so  long  a 
period  with  any  one  congregation,  there  are  also 
few  who,  during  a  rectorship  of  any  duration,  have 
witnessed  such  changes,  such  growth  and  enlarge- 
ment in  their  own  parishes.  The  tide  of  popula- 
tion that  has  made  a  steady  drain  upon  older  and 
larger  parishes  in  the  lower  parts  of  the  city,  has 
brought  increasing  numbers  and  strength  to  this, 
and  many  others  in  the  northern  and  w^estern  sec- 
tions, until  not  only  has  this  Congregation  so  much 


of  St.  Luke's  Parish  from  this  period,  portions  of  which  were  introriueed  in 
the  delivery  of  the  sermon,  but  are  omitted  here  to  avoid  repetitions. 


IG 


outgrown  its  first  proportions,  but  four  other  Epis- 
copal Churches  have  been  built  within  the  limits  of 
the  old  borough  of  Germantown. 

The  recent  change  which  closed  a  rectorship  of 
forty-two  years,  and  committed  the  oversight  of  the 
Parish  into  the  present  hands,  might  seem  to  claim 
a  more  extended  notice.  But  personal  considera- 
tions will  excuse  any  enJargemmt  on  this  point,  while 
it  shall  not  be  entirely  passed  over.  The  Eector's 
desire  and  purpose  to  resign  had  been  so  long  in- 
dulged and  so  repeatedly  expressed,  that  no  one  at 
all  familiar  with  the  existing  state  of  affairs  could 
have  been  surprised,  though  its  public  announce- 
ment—  as  was  most  naturally  to  have  been  ex- 
pected—  kindled  the  deepest  emotions  of  regret  in 
the  hearts  of  his  parishioners  at  the  proposed  change, 
and  prompted  the  liveliest  expressions  of  regard 
and  affection  for  one  they  had  so  long  and  so 
deservedly  loved.  The  relations  of  confidence  be- 
tween the  Rector  and  his  Assistant  had  been  so 
complete,  and  he  had  been  pleased  to  confide  the 
conduct  of  the  affairs  of  the  Parish  so  much  to  the 
Assistant  for  years  past,  that  no  one  could  have 
anticipated  any  marked  change  or  revolution  in  its 
teachings  or  practices.  But  though  our  former  re- 
lations have  been  changed,  your  old  Rector  remains 
still  with  you,  in  a  position  at  once  exjiressive  of 
your  conlidenCL;  and  regard,  and  the  \'estry  did 
surely  but  repeat  your  sentiments   when  they  as- 


17 


sured  him  of  their  "earnest  prayer  that  God  might 
long  spare  him  to  go  in  and  out,  and  worship  with 
his  old  parishioners,  and  that  He  would,  in  his  declin- 
ing years,  pour  upon  him  His  choicest  blessings."* 
And  here,  in  the  presence  of  so  many  of  the  breth- 
ren who  have  known  and  esteemed  him  for  long 
years,  I  would  take  occasion  to  say,  as  I  have  said 
before  in  this  same  place,  that  "  I  think  it  has  fallen 
to  the  lot  of  few  Assistant  Ministers  to  accomplish 
a  service  of  eleven  years,  with  such  unvarying  kind- 
ness and  confidence  as  was  here  bestowed,  and  that 
few  Rectors  have  retired  from  the  active  labors  of 
their  office,  or  been  called  away  by  the  Master,  with 
a  stronger  hold  upon  the  affections  of  their  people, 
or  the  regard  and  esteem  of  the  whole  community. 
The  record  of  a  life  thus  pure  and  'unspotted  from 
the  world,'  through  all  its  past  years,  is  a  precious 
heritage  to  friends  and  family.  Happy  might  we 
be  with  the  thought  that  we  could  leave  such  to 
those  who  are  to  come  after  us."t 

How  marked  the  change,  my  brethren,  that  has 
come  over  our  Church — how  great  the  growth  and 
prosperity  God  has  given  her  since  that  venerable 
patriarch  and  his  few  clergy  stood  here,  fifty  years 
ago  to-day,  to  consecrate  this  House  of  God  for  the 
little  band  of  churchmen  that  had  erected  it.    They 


*  See  Appendix  A. 

t  Quoted  from  the  Rector's  Sermon  on  Thanksgiving  Day,  November  28th, 
being  the  first  occasion  of  his  occupying  the  pulpit  after  his  election. 


18 


were  as  -Facob,  going  forth  into  the  world  lonely 
and  poor,  with  only  his  stafi'  in  his  hand.  There  was 
perhaps  less  prejudice  in  this  community  then  against 
our  Church  than  is  common  where  her  services 
and  system  are  unknown.  The  doctrines  and  prac- 
tices of"  the  Lutheran  and  German  Reformed  bodies 
of  that  day  were  not  so  dissimilar  to  our  own  as  to 
excite  any  prejudices  or  suspicion  against  liturgies, 
vestments,  and  a  calendar  of  festivals  and  fast 
days.  The  larger  portion  of  the  people  then  resi- 
dent here,  had  been  accustomed  to  all  these  things 
in  their  homes,  and  looked  with  no  special  disfavor 
upon  the  effort  to  establish  the  Episcopal  Church 
among  them.  Some,  indeed,  we  know  —  members 
and  ministers  of  these  communions — did  the  very 
opposite,  and  gave  it  a  cordial  welcome.  Still  it 
was  a  work  of  great  difticulty  to  establish  and 
maintain  the  services  of  our  Church  in  this  place. 
How  ihat  work  has  been  blessed  and  prospered,  we 
of  this  day  })ear  witness.  The  lapse  of  half  a  cen- 
tury finds  now  not  two,  but  ten  bands  within  what 
were  at  first  the  natural  bounds  of  this  single 
Parish.  71/?  Congregations  have  risen  up  under 
the  eye  of  the  last  liector  witliin  those  geographical 
limits  which  for  many  years  were  left  to  him  alone, 
in  the  formation  and  support  of  most  of  wliich, 
former  parishioners  of  his,  and  in  many  cases  mem- 
bers of  his  vestry  have  taken  a  leading  and  impor- 
tant part.  Not  only  is  this  true  of  the  Congrega- 
tions nearer  by,  but  it  is  also  true  of  St.  David's, 


19 


St.  James  the  Less,  the  Church  of  the  Resurrection, 
and  the  younger  parishes  of  St.  Timothy  and  the 
House  of  Prayer. 

All  of  these  stand  within  the  field  once  occupied 
Ijy  this  Parish  alone,  and  in  almost  every  one  she 
may  recognize  her  children,  or  her  children's  child- 
ren. If  she  should  look  out  with  pride  and  rejoic- 
ing upon  this  goodly  increase  to  the  common  fold, 
she  should  still  take  to  herself  the  words  of  the 
grateful  Patriarch — "  I  am  not  worthy  of  the  least 
of  all  the  mercies  and  of  all  the  truth  which  Thou 
hast  shewed  Thy  servant."  The  blessing  and  pros- 
perity which  God  has  given  his  Church  is  all  of  his 
own  grace  and  goodness,  and  not  of  our  deserts  or 
efforts.  May  these  tm  bands  only  prove  themselves 
worthy  of  His  continued  favor  and  jjrotection,  and 
so' dwell  together  in  peace  and  harmony,  that  while 
they  carry  forward  the  work  of  the  Church  with  all 
lawful  zeal  and  emulation,  they  shall  be  in  all  eyes 
like  Jerusalem  of  old,  "even  as  a  city  that  is  at 
unity  in  itself." 

No  more  remarkable,  however,  is  this  growth 
and  increase  than  that  which  has  been  given  to  the 
(Jhurch  at  large,  and  which  should  not  here  be  for- 
gotten. One  purpose  of  such  services  as  these, 
would  seem  to  be  to  awaken  our  attention  to  the 
condition  and  interests  of  the  wdiole  Church  —  to 
renew  and  deepen  our  sentiments  of  sympathy  and 


20 


affection  for  the  whole  brotherhood.  At  such  times 
we  do  well  to  look  not  only  upon  our  own  things, 
but  also  upon  the  things  of  others,  and  to  remember 
what  God  has  done  for  the  common  faith,  as  well 
as  for  any  individual  congregation  or  section  of  the 
Church.  It  was  the  day  of  small  things  for  our 
Church  in  this  Diocese,  and  in  our  whole  country, 
when  the  history  of  this  Congregation  began. 

When  in  the  year  1811  some  ten  or  twelve  per- 
sons met  together  to  devise  the  ways  and  means  of 
establishing  the  services  of  the  Church  here,  we 
had  in  the  city  of  Philadelphia  but  five  churches — 
we  have  now  more  than  sixty.  There  were  then 
in  the  whole  United  States  eight  Bishops  and  one 
hundred  and  seventy-five  Clergymen — there  are 
now  forty-four  Bishops,  and  more  than  twenty-six 
hundred  Clergymen.  At  the  later  date  of  1818, 
when  this  Church  was  consecrated,  there  were  in 
all  of  Pennsylvania  about  twenty-five  Parishes, 
with  the  same  number  of  Clergymen — we  have 
now  in  this  same  territory,  two  Dioceses,  each  with 
its  Bishop  and  two  hundred  and  seventy-five  Clergy- 
men, more  by  a  whole  hundred  than  we  had  in  all 
of  the  United  States  when  this  Congregation  was 
established,  and  these  surpliced  brethren  within  our 
chancel  rail,  this  morning,  number  more  by  nearly 
one-half  than  Bishop  White  could  gather  in  his 
Convention  In  the  year  he  consecrated  this  Church. 
God  surely  then  has  blessed  and  prospered  his  work 


21 


among  us.  Those  fathers  of  ours  wlio  stood  here 
fifty  years  ago  to-day,  never  anticipated  such  growth 
and  increase  for  their  beloved  Church  in  their  most 
sanguine  moments. 

Not  one  word  of  this,  however,  by  way  of  boast- 
ing. Not  onl}^  do  we  say  fwn  nobis,  but  w^e  say  that 
this  is  but  a  portion  of  the  increase  and  enlargement 
w^e  might  have  had  if  we  had  fully  realized  the 
blessed  heritage  God  has  given  us,  and  fully  felt 
our  own  responsibilities.  We  have  been  many  times 
slow  and  laggard,  weak  in  faith  and  faltering  in  our 
efforts,  when  we  should  have  been  bold,  confident 
and  aggressive.  Commerce,  arts,  improvements, 
enterprise,  in  every  purpose  of  the  "children  of  this 
w^orld"  have  far  outstripped  us.  They  make  the 
boldest  ventures,  they  lead  off  in  schemes  of  the 
sublimest  grandeur,  seeming  to  delight  in  difficul- 
ties, and  to  conquer  their  way  as  they  go.  The 
Church  stands  still,  or  follows  w^ith  timid  and  halt- 
ing steps  in  the  easy  path  they  have  prepared  for 
her.  What  her  history  and  achievements  shall  be 
for  the  next  half  century  remains  under  God's  fa- 
vor and  blessing,  largely  with  us,  my  brethren,  and 
such  as  we.  1  shoukl  take  little  interest  in  the  ser- 
vices of  this  day  if  I  were  without  the  hope  that 
some  who  participate  in  them,  while  the}'  deepen 
their  gratitude  to  God  for  all  His  past  mercies,  will 
also  take  new  resolves  here  for  more  earnest  and 
thorouuh  devotion  to  the  cause  of  their  Master.     For 


22 


ourselves,  I  indulge  the  hope  that  this  will  be  a 
marked  period  in  all  the  future  history  of  this  Parish, 
and  that  the  children  and  youth  who  witness  these 
services,  will  be  inspired  with  sentiments  of  vene- 
ration and  gratitude  for  the  labors  of  their  fathers 
in  the  Church,  and  will  be  made  read}^  and  v\dlling 
for  the  responsibilities  which  the  flight  of  a  few 
more  years  shall  lay  upon  them.  I  am,  also,  not 
without  the  hope  that  the  suggestion  dropped  in 
reference  to  a  substantial  memorial  of  this  occasion, 
in  the  shaj^e  of  a  new  and  suitable  church,  worthy 
this  place  and  of  this  Congregation,  will  not  be  al- 
lowed to  sleep  and  be  forgotten.  But,  that  planted 
to-day  in  grateful  and  generous  hearts,  but  few  years 
of  the  coming  fifty  shall  have  passed,  till  we  shall 
be  in  the  full  enjoyment  of  the  complete  and  perfect 
fruit.  When  I  witness  the  private  homes  of  beauty 
and  elegance  that  are  so  rapidly  possessing  the  va- 
cant spaces  our  fathers  were  accustomed  to — homes 
every  year  becoming  more  elegant  and  costly,  1 
cannot  believe  you  wdl  long  continue  satisfied  with 
these  narrow  walls,  with  this  dilapidated  dwell mg- 
place  for  the  "Ark  of  the  Lord." 

This  outline  of  fifty  years'  history,  culled  from 
registers  and  minute  books,  furnishes,  after  all,  but 
the  smallest  and  least  important  part  of  the  real 
history  of  a  parish.  This  all  concerns  things  out- 
ward and  visible,  which  are  easy  to  record  and  easy 
to  repeat;   but  its  real  history,  its  heart  history,  the 


history  of  its  joys  and  sorrows,  who  could  write  that. 
The  history  of  the  souls  now  animating  the  flesh, 
or  waiting  the  end  ni  the  world  of  spirits  —  which 
would  be  its  true  history — what  human  pen  w^onld 
undertake  that  task?  That  concerns  prayers,  and 
tears,  and  yows,  niotiyes,  deeds,  and  secret  struggles 
of  the  soul,  which  shall  be  known  only  when  the 
judgment  is  set  and  the  books  are  opened.  Our 
story  is  but  the  yeil  and  coyering  of  that  which  if 
it  could  be  read  in  full,  would  move  all  hearts.  The 
history  of  half  a  century,  in  those  things  which  per- 
tain to  the  House  of  Cod,  is  a  history  of  the  deepest 
and  dearest  things  in  man's  breast.  The  hopes  and 
expectations  that  haye  swelled  the  hearts  of  parents 
as  they  brought  their  children  here  to  "the  washing 
of  regeneration  and  renewing  of  the  Hoh'  Ghost;" 
the  searchings  of  heart  and  solemn  yows  of  those 
wdio  haye  stood  here  for  the  "laying  on  of  hands;" 
the  deep  contrition  and  yet  the  sacred  joy  that  haye 
filled  the  soul  in  the  Eucharistic  feast;  the  mingled 
tears  and  smiles  tliat  haye  greeted  and  blessed  the 
bridal,  and  the  sad  and  heayy  weight  that  has  fallen 
upon  the  heart  as  the  dearest  objects  of  earth  haye 
been  borne  hence  to  their  long  rest,  oh,  what  themes 
are  these  to  reyiye  the  most  sacred  reminiscences 
of  your  h"\'es,  and  to  hallow  this  place  and  all  things 
connected  therewith  in  your  best  affections !  Well 
may  you  say — 

"  I  love  the  Church  —  the  Holy  Church  — 
That  o'er  our  life  presides, 


24 

The  birth,  the  bridal,  and  the  grave, 

And  many  an  hour  besides  ! 
Be  mine  through  life  to  live  in  her. 

And  when  the  Lord  shall  call, 
To  die  in  her — the  Spouse  of  Christ, 

The  Mother  of  us  all." 

We  surely  will  not  forget  this  thought  on  an  oc- 
casion like  the  present,  that  she  is  the  mother  of 
"us  all  —  that 

"  Angels,  and  living  saints  and  dead, 
But  one  communion  make." 

And  while  we  come  to  feed  upon  the  spiritual  food 
here  offered  us,  the  sacred  memories  of  those  who 
have  so  often  knelt  here  in  past  years,  wdll  carry 
our  thoughts  on  to  that  better  state  where  they  rest 
in  peace  and  blessedness,  and  give  ardor  to  the 
prayer  that  "we,  with  all  those  who  are  departed 
in  the  true  faith  of  God's  Holy  Name,  may  have 
our  perfect  consummation  and  bliss,  both  in  body 
and  soul,  in  his  eternal  and  everlasting  glory." 

And  while  we  mark  a  day  midway  in  a  century, 
let  us  remember  that  so  we  stand  in  the  "  One 
Army  of  the  living  God,"  that 

"  Part  of  the  host  have  crossed  the  flood. 

And  part  arc  crossing  now." 

« 

Multitudes  that  no  man  can  number,  of  all  ranks 


25 


and  conditions,  frrm  all  lands,  and  all  kindreds  and 
churches,  stand  safe  and  sure  oi:  the  eternal  shore. 

A  noble  army,  men  and  l)oys. 

The  matron  and  the  maid, 
Around  the  Saviour's  throne  rejoice 

In  robes  of  white  arrayed. 
They  climbed  the  steep  ascent  of  heaven 

Through  peril,  toil  and  pain — 
O,  God !   to  us  may  grace  be  given 

To  follow  in  their  train. 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  LUKE'S  CHURCH, 
GERMANTOWN. 


Subsequently  to  the  services  of  Dr.  Smith,  spoken 
of  in  the  preceding  discourse,  there  is  no  record  of 
any  efforts  toward  a  permanent  estabhshment  of  the 
Episcopal  Church  in  Germantown  until  the  summer 
of  1811.  On  the  9th  of  June  of  that  year,  which 
was  Trinity  Sunday,  a  public  service  was  held  in 
the  Old  German  Reformed  Church  on  Market  Square 
by  a  clergyman,  supposed  to  be  a  Rev.  Mr.  Scott, 
temporarily  sojourning  here.  The  first  entry  in  a 
ledger  or  cash  account,  kept  with  great  care  and 
attention  to  details,  by  Mr.  James  Stokes,  an  early 
and  earnest  friend  of  the  Church,  is  on  the  IJth  of 
June,  1811,  "cash  paid  the  Rev.  Mr.  Scott,  $5,00." 
From  which  it  is  inferred  that  the  said  service  was 
held  by  Mr.  Scott  on  that  day.  There  were  resid- 
ing in  and  about  Germantown  at  that  time  some 
twelve  families  connected  with  the  Episcopal  Church, 
and  this  single  service  of  Mr.  Scott's  seems  to  have 
determined  them  to  put  into  execution  their  long- 
indulged  desire  for  regular  services,  according  to 
the  established  order  of  their  own  Church.  The 
German  Reformed  Congregation,  then  worshiping 
in  the  old  stone  church  on  Market  Square,  having 
kindly  offered  it  to  the  Church  people,  they  held  a 


27 


meeting  on  the  28th  of  June,  at  the  house  of  Mr. 
Thomas  Armat,  tor  the  purpose,  as  the  record  states, 
"of  taking  into  consideration  the  propriety  of  hav- 
ing Divine  Worship  pertbrmed  according  to  tlie  rules 
and  regulations  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church." 
Ml-.  Armat  acted  as  President  of  this  meeting,  Mr. 
Daniel  Lammot  as  Secretary,  and  Mr.  James  Stokes 
was  appointed  Treasurer.  Several  resolutions  were 
passed  providing  for  a  subscription  to  defray  the 
expenses  of  the  services,  and  appointing  officers  to 
superintend  the  undertaknig.  A  subscription  was 
immediately  opened,  which  amounted  to  the  sum 
of  one  hundred  and  ten  dollars. 

From  this  time,  services  were  held  on  Sunday 
afternoon,  and  occasionally  on  an  evening  in  the 
week,  as  often  as  a  minister  could  be  procured. 
These  services,  for  the  first  year,  were  chiefly  per- 
formed by  the  Rev.  Jackson  Kemper,  one  of  the 
Assistant  Ministers  of  the  United  Churches  in  Phila- 
delphia ;  and  the  early  minutes  bear  the  record  of 
the  "  "rateful  thanks  of  the  congrecation  for  his 
very  frequent  and  friendly  visits,  which  were  often 
made  at  the  risk  of  injuring  his  health."  No  stated 
engagement  was  made  with  any  clergyman  before 
the  3'ear  1812,  but  in  the  month  of  Juh'  of  that 
year  the  Uev.  Mr.  Warren,  Rector  of  a  Church  in 
South  Carolina,  residing  here  during  the  summer, 
was  enoaiied  for  the  term  of  three  months.  After 
Mr.  Warren's  departure,  in  the  month  of  October, 


28 


the  services  were  kept  up  by  different  clercyraen 
from  the  city  as  before,  until  the  month  of  March, 
1813,  when  the  Rev.  Mr.  Ward,  then  settled  in 
Trenton,  was  engaged  to  take  charge  of  the  congre- 
gation as  their  first  stationed  minister.  Mr.  Ward 
remained  here,  however,  but  about  five  months. 
He  resigned  this  charge  to  become  Rector  of  a 
Church  in  Lexington,  Kentucky,  and  preached  his 
farewell  sermon  on  the  29th  of  August.  In  the 
month  of  December  of  this  year,  (1813,)  the  Rev. 
J.  C.  Clay  took  charge  of  this  congregation  in  con- 
nection with  thai  of  St.  John's  Church,  Norristown, 
where  he  resided. 

Previous  to  the  engagement  of  Mr.  Ward,  the 
services  had  Vjeen  held  only  in  the  afternoon,  as 
the  German  Reformed  (^ongiegation  occupied  the 
church  in  the  morning;  but  having  now  a  settled 
clergyman,  it  was  determined  to  establish  morning- 
service  as  well  as  afternoon.  H'or  this  purpose,  Mr. 
James  Stokes  offered  a  vacant  house  which  stood  on 
Market  Square,  opposite  to  School  House  Lane,  and 
now  occupied  by  the  back  buildings  of  the  residence 
of  Mr.  James  S.  Jones.  The  morning  services  con- 
tinued to  be  hekl  in  this  house  until  it  was  found 
too  small  for  the  growing  congregation,  when  the 
same  gentleman  offered  a  larger  and  more  conve- 
nient place  ill  the  house  still  standing  at  the  corner 
of  Market  S((uare  and  Church  Lane.  B}  opening 
a  communication   between   the   two   lower  rooms. 


29 


space  enough  was  provided  for  the  accommodation 
of  two  hmidred  persons,  and  here  the  morning  ser- 
vices were  continued  until  the  erection  of  the  church, 
while  the  afternoon  or  evening  services  were  still 
held  in  the  old  German  Reformed  Church  near  by. 
On  a  few  occasions  the  mornino-  services  were  also 
held  in  that  church,  when  the  pastor  chanced  to  be 
sick  or  absent.  The  removal  from  the  first  house 
10  the  "brick  buildings,"  as  they  were  called,  was 
in  the  spring  or  summer  of  1814.  The  rooms  w^ere 
fitted  up  with  comfortable  sittings,  a  pulpit  was 
erected,  and  the  wdiole  made  a  fit  and  seemly  place 
of  worship,  and  given  free  of  rent  to  the  congrega- 
tion until  they  were  ready  to  occupy  their  church. 

Mr.  Clay's  engagement  was  for  alternate  Sun- 
days, but  with  the  assistance  of  several  of  the 
clergymen  in  the  city,  the  services  were  kept  up 
Avith  great  regularity  on  every  Sunday. 

The  first  Confirmation  was  held  on  the  13th  of 
November,  1814.  Eighteen  persons  were  then 
confirmed  by  Bishop  White  —  one  of  them  having 
received  baptism  at  the  same  service.  From  the 
1st  of  January  of  the  next  year  (1815)  to  the  con- 
secration of  the  present  church,  on  the  27th  of 
August,  1818,  a  careful  record  w^as  kept  of  every 
service,  which  gives  the  name  of  the  officiating 
clergyman,  the  place  in  which  the  service  was  held, 
whether  in  the  "new  church"  or  the  "old  church," 
and  many  other  minute  and  interesting  particulars. 


:}() 


Mr.  Clay  continued  his  connection  with  the  con- 
gregation until  the  month  of  February,  1817,  when 
he  was  called  to  Newbern,  North  Carolina.  The 
expenses  of  these  services  were  provided  for  by  a 
subscription  made  at  the  beginning  of  each  year. 
The  organist  and  sexton  of  the  old  church  received 
a  stated  sum  for  every  service,  and  one  of  the  reso- 
lutions passed  in  the  first  meeting  held  in  1811,  was 
to  the  effect  that  every  clergyman  who  performed 
divine  service  should  be  paid  the  sum  of  four  dollars 
if  he  would  accept  it.  It  seems,  by  the  Treasurer's 
account,  however,  that  the  sum  almost  always  paid 
was  five  dollars.  There  are  many  entries  in  this 
account  of  the  Treasurer,  which  show  a  thoughtful 
and  commendable  spirit  in  the  dealings  of  the  con- 
gregation with  those  whom  they  called  upon  to 
serve  them.  Many  of  the  clergymen  declined  the 
offered  fee,  but  they  were  not  allow^ed  to  remain 
longf  without  some  token  of  the  obligation  the  con- 
gregation  felt  themselves  under.  The  (xcrman  l\e- 
formed  pastor,  to  whose  kindness  they  were  much 
indebted,  was  also  made  the  frequent  recipient  of 
"  some  token  of  esteem,"  and  the  humble  coach- 
men who  from  time  to  time  brought  the  bishop  and 
other  clergymen  to  ofhciate,  were  not  left  to  go  with- 
out fee  or  i-eward.  The^-e  may  be  thought  to  be 
little  things, .but  they  are  the  little  things  that  sliow 
a  liberal  and  commendable  spirit. 

There  is  no  record  from  which  to  obtain  the  names 


31 


of  all  the  clergymen  who  ofTiciated  previous  to  Janu- 
ary 1st,  1815,  but  beside  those  already  given,  we 
have  incidental  mention  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Turner, 
junior,  Rev.  Mr.  Wiltbank,  Rev.  Mr.  Beasly,  Rev. 
Mr.  Milnor,  and  Rev.  Mr.  Bayard.  After  that  date 
the  record  referred  to  supplies  this  inibrmation,  and 
we  find  that  beside  the  names  given  above,  the  fol- 
lowing clergymen  also  officiated  in  conjunction  with 
Mr.  Clay:  the  Rev.  Mr.  Bedell,  Rev.  Mr.  Boyd, 
Rev.  Mr.  Clay  senior,  Rev.  Mr.  Weems,  Rev.  Dr. 
Anen,  (Mr.  Clay's  grandMher,)  Rev.  Mr.  Mont- 
gomery, Rev.  Mr.  Brentnell,  and  Rev  Mr.  Dou- 
glass. This  brings  the  record  down  to  the  month 
ot  June,  1817,  when  the  Rev.  C.  M.  Dupuy  was 
chosen  to  be  the  successor  of  Mr.  Clay.* 

During  the  vacancy  occasioned  by  the  resigna- 
tion of  Mr.  Clay  and  the  election  of  Mr.  Dupuy — 
a  period  of  four  months  —  the  services  were  chieHy 
supplied  by  Messrs.  Montgomery,  Kemper  and 
Brentnell.  After  Mr.  Dupuy  took  charge  of  the 
congregation,  and  while  the  services  still  alternated 
between  the  "old  church"  and  the  "brick  build- 
ings," Bishop  Moore,  of  Virginia,  Bishop  White, 
Rev.  Messrs.  Walker  and  Muhlenberg  also  preached. 
In  the  mouth  of  January,  1818,  a  short  time  before 
the  engagement  with  the  Rev.  Mr.  Ward,  there  is 
the  following  entry  in  the  Treasurer's  account: — 

*  SiM'  Apixnilix  |{. 


"Cash  paid  the  Rev.  Mr.  Noble,  for  his  expenses 
from  and  to  Long  Island  and  preaching  twice,  $25 ;" 
from  which  it  may  be  inferred  that  Mr.  Noble  had 
come  here  with  a  view  of  taking  charge  of  the  con- 
gregation, which  arrangement,  for  some  unknown 
reason,  was  not  completed.  A  similar  entry  is 
made  on  the  28th  of  March,  1814 — "Cash  paid 
Rev.  Mr.  Plumb  for  travelling  expenses,  $55." 
Mr.  Plumb  was  a  clergyman  from  Connecticut, 
afterward  settled  at  Northumberland-  What  was 
the  occasion  of  his  visit  to  this  congregation  is  un- 
known; but  the  inference  is  a  natural  one  that  he 
came  with  the  view  of  becoming;  their  rector. 


■& 


There  are  many  incidental  notes  and  memoranda 
in  this  record  of  public  services,  which  are  worthy 
of  repetition  in  this  connection,  as  they  serve  to 
give  further  information  of  current  events,  while 
they  also  illustrate  the  spirit  of  the  congregation. 
On  Sunday,  February  12th,  1815,  Mr.  Kemper  offi- 
ciated in  the  evening,  to  the  record  of  which  is 
added  these  words:  "Glorious  news  of  peace  came 
this  afternoon."  On  the  5tli  of  March  following, 
when  Mr.  Milnor  preached,  a  "charity  collection 
for  the  poor  was  made  amounting  to  $47,11.  In 
the  month  of  January  of  the  previous  year,  a  col- 
lection had  also  been  made  of  $70,  on  a  "snowy 
and  stormy  night,"  for  the  sufferers  by  a  fire  in 
Portsmouth,  New  Hampshire.  Thursday,  the  13th 
of  April,  has   the  entry,  "Thanksgiving  evening, 


33 


Kev.  Mr.  Clay,"  which  was  a  thanksoivinij;  service 
for  peace.  On  SiuKlay,  the  sixteenth  of  the  same 
month,  Mr,  Kemper  and  Mr.  Clay  were  both  in  at- 
tendance, and  administered  the  Sacrament  of  the 
Lord's  Supper  to  fourteen  communicants.  This  is 
the  first  explicit  record  of  the  administration  of  the 
Lord's  Supper,  though  on  the  8th  of  April,  of  the 
previous  year,  there  is  an  entry  in  the  Treasurer's 
account,  of  mc^ney  paid  for  "Wine  lor  the  Com- 
munion," and  also  for  the  purchase  of  a  "plated 
goblet"  costing  six  dollars,  which,  how^ever,  w^as 
afterwards  returned.  It  is  probable,  therefore,  that 
the  Holv  Communion  was  frequently  administered 
before  this  record.  On  the  16th  of  July,  1815,  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Milnor  i^reached  "an  excellent  sermon  in 
favor  of  building  a  church."  On  the  20th  of  Au- 
gust, the  Holy  Communion  was  administered  by 
Mr.  Kemper  to  sixteen  persons.  On  the  27th  of 
the  same  month,  when  Mr.  Milnor  officiated  in  the 
evening,  there  is  the  following  note:  "Mr.  Milnor 
was  ordained  priest  this  day,  in  Philadelphia."  On 
the  18th  of  February,  of  the  next  year,  1816,  when 
Mr.  Clay  was  kept  from  coming  by  stormy  weather, 
there  is  this  entry:  "J.  S.  read  Family  Prayers, 
and  the  Epistle  and  Gospel  for  this  day.""  On  the 
81st  of  March  there  is  this  memorandum:  "Kev. 
Mr.  (/lay  was  ordained  ])iiest,  at  Nori'istown,  this 
day  by  ]5isho])  AAliite."  On  the  4th  of  August  there 
is  this  entry:  "In  the  afternoon,  at  three  o'clock, 
met  at   the  new  l)uildinir,  near  the  Falls  of  Schu\l- 


34 


kill.  Mr.  Clay  performed  Divine  serviee  and 
preached  the  .sermon,  Mr.  AVack  concluded  by 
prayer.  Mr.  Wack's  lull  choir  of  dingers  -were 
there  also.  There  was  not  room  for  near  all  the 
people,  although  the  weather  was  rather  unfavor- 
able." This  service  must  have  been  held  in  the  old 
School  House  on  the  hill,  near  the  Falls  village,  at 
one  time  used  bv  the  congregation  of  St.  James  the 
Less. 

There  is  clear  evidence  that  these  services  at- 
tracted considerable  attention  and  Avere  well  at- 
tended. This  is  frequently  stated  in  the  minutes 
from  w^hich  we  have  quoted.  Although  it  was  before 
the  days  of  pavements  and  gas  lights,  ladies  still 
walked  from  Nicetown  and  from  the  neighborhood  of 
Chestnut  Hill  to  attend  the  evening  services.  Con- 
sidering the  number  of  Church  people  then  residing 
here,  their  arrangements  for  the  support  of  the  ser- 
vices were  liberally  made,  and  all  the  means  pro- 
vided by  themselves,  with  the  exception  of  one  hun- 
dred dollars  given  by  the  Advancement  Society,  in 
the  year  1813,  to  secure  the  services  of  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Ward.  Mr.  Dupuy  took  charge  of  the  congre- 
gation on  the  22(1  of  June,  1817.  In  the  month 
of  July,  an  organ  belonging  to  Mr.  Armat  was  put 
in  the  "brick  buildings"  and  played  for  the  first 
time  by  Mr.  Taws,  organist  and  organ  builder  ol' 
the  city.  An  entry  in  the  minutes  of  the  Vestry  of 
this  vear  states,  that  the  "  Female  Sundav  School 


ao 


wa^;  commenced  in  the  month  of  July,  in  the  brick 
buildings,"  and  a  note  in  the  record  of  services,  on 
the  23d  of  that  month,  (the  Sunday  previous  to  the 
consecration  of  the  churcli,)  says,  "there  were,  this 
morning,  about  GO  girls  and  20  boys  at  our  Sunday 
School." 

The  first  notice  of  the  congregation  in  the  Jour- 
nal of  the  Diocesan  Convention,  was  in  the  year 
1816,  when  Mr.  Clay  reported  10  communicants  in 
Germantown;  and  the  Parish  was  first  represented 
in  Convention  in  1818,  by  Thomas  Armat  and 
James  Stokes. 

We  come  now  to  notice  the  measures  taken  by 
this  infant  congregation  to  build  a  more  suitable 
house  lor  Divine  worship.  The  Ark  of  God  was 
still  within  curtains,  but  the  desire  to  provide  a 
better  place  had  l)een  a  long  time  indulged.  The 
services  had  been  continued  for  the  period  of  six 
years  with  nnich  regularity  and  with  great  encour- 
agement, and  the  time  seemed  now  to  have  arrived 
when  renewed  and  vigorous  measures  should  be 
taken  to  build  a  church.  The  first  record  of  such 
an  intention  is  in  the  notice  of  Mr.  Milnor's  sermon 
in  July,  1815,  and  the  minutes  of  the  Vestry  fur- 
nish us  with  a  further  history  of  the  undertaking. 
It  is  there  stated,  that,  in  the  fall  of  the  year  1817 
the  subject  of  l)uilding  a  church  was  revived  in  a 
very  spirited  inauuei-  I)y  Mr.  Dupuy.  and  that  com- 


8(5 


mittees  to  solicit  subscriptions  for  this  purpose  were 
appointed  by  the  A^estry,  Mr,  Stokes  heading  the 
subscription  with  one  iJiousand  dollars  *  On  the 
12th  of  February  of  next  year,  a  meeting,  of  the 
persons  who  had  in  the  meantime  subscribed  to- 
ward the  building  of  the  church,  was  held  to  ascer- 
tain whether  it  would  be  pi'udent  to  commence 
building  with  the  amount  so  far  subscribed,  Mr, 
Armat  was  appointed  chairman  of  this  meeting, 
which  was  held  in  the  "brick  buildings,'"  and  Mr. 
Bay  ley,  secretary.  The  committees  reported  that 
the  sum  of  five  thousand  and  three  hundred  dollars 
had  been  subscribed,  and  that  in  all  probability 
from  one  to  two  thousand  more  could  be  obtained: 
whereupon  it  was  resolved,  "that  a  commencement 
should  be  made,"  A  Building  Committee,  com- 
posed of  Messrs.  Stokes,  Armat  and  Bayley  of  (Jer- 
mantown,  and  Messrs,  J,  M.  Price  and  Charles 
Biddle  ot  Philadelphia,  was  appointed  to  carry  the 
object  into  eftect.  Mr,  Armat  was  appointed  trea- 
surer, and  the  committee  authorized  to  ascertain 
what  suitable  lots  could  be  obtained  for  a  site,  and 
to  report  to  a  subsequent  meeting,  on  the  2od  inst. 
The  report  made  to  this  meeting  stated,  that  "a 
back  lot  opposite  to  the  Friends'  Meeting,  and 
offered  as  a  gift  by  Mr.  Thomas  Armat,  wa;^  the 
most  eligible,  and  that  it  be  fixed  ui)on ;  l)ut  iu 
order  to  render  it  more  complete  it  would  be  neces- 

*  Sec  Ai>i>i'ii(lix   ('. 


87 


sam'  to  purchase  a  frame  house  and  lot  in  front, 
owned  by  Conrad  Miller,  which  coidd  be  bought  for 
$1,000.  The  committee  were  authorized  to  make 
this  purchase,  to  procure  a  plan  for  the  church,  to 
make  contracts  for  Imilding  it,  and  to  proceed  in  the 
busir.ess  without  delay. 

A  })lan  was  soon  ol^tained,  and  a  contract  for 
buildino-  the  church  made  with  William  Lehman 
and  Alexander  Armour.  The  church  Avas  to  be  -"^O 
feet  long  l)y  43  feet  wide,  with  a  vestrv-room  at  the 
back  end  12  feet  square,  built  of  stone,  rough-cast, 
and  covered  with  cedar  shingles.  The  contract- 
price  was  five  thousand  and  five  hundred  dollars. 
There  was  subsequently  added  to  this  a  charge  of 
$004  for  extra  work,  making  the  whole  cost  of  the 
building  $5,804.  The  purchase  of  the  lot  in  front 
and  the  expenditures  for  furniture,  made  a  sum 
total  of  $7,507.  The  corner-stone  was  laid  by 
Bishop  White  in  the  north-east  corner  of  the  foun- 
dation wall,  on  Monday,  the  30th  of  March,  1818. 
The  Clergy  in  attendance  beside  Bishop  White,  were 
the  Rev.  Jackson  Kemper,  Rev.  George  Boyd,  Rev. 
W.  A.  Muhlenberg  and  the  Rector,  Rev.  C.  M.  Du- 
puv.  The  contract  was  signed  on  the  4th  of  April, 
and  the  church  was  to  lie  finished  ready  for  occu- 
pancy by  the  second  week  of  September.  The 
masons  began  work  on  the  7tli  of  April,  and  the 
painting  of  tlie  church  was  finished  on  the  20th  of 
Auiiust,  four   months  and   thirteen  days   from  the 


ss 


time  of  beginning  the  worls:.  It  will  thus  be  seen 
that  the  building  of  the  chui-ch  was  conducted  with 
remarkable  energy  and  dispatch.  The  stone-work 
was  done  up  t-o  the  s<piare  in  less  than  a  month, 
and  the  I'oof  was  shingled  in  nine  h(jurs — the  whole 
l)uilding  being  completed  and  rt-ady  for  consecra- 
tion more  than  three  weeks  before  the  contract 
time.  The  Consecration  Service  was  performed  by 
Bishop  White,  on  Thursday,  the  27th  of  August, 
attended  by  Drs.  Pillmore,  Collin  and  Abercrombie, 
and  the  K,ey.  Messrs.  Turner,  (senior  and  junior,) 
Jackson  Kemper,  T.  P.  May,  George  Sheets  and  the 
Rector,  C.  M.  Dupuy.  The  Consecration  Sermon 
was  preached  hy  Bishop  White,  from  the  text, 
"Worship  the  Lord  in  the  bennty  of  holiness,"  and 
a  collection  made  in  aid  of  the  funds  ol'  the  church 
amounting  to  $145. 

That  this  was  a  day  of  joy  an<l  thard\sgiving  for 
the  little  tiock  noAV  gathered  within  the  conseci-ated 
walls  of  their  own  church,  we  may  be  well  assui-ed  ; 
and  we  of  the  present  day  who  have  entered  into 
their  labors,  and  enjoy  the  friuts  of  their  zeal  [ind, 
liberality  should  l)e  ready  to  accord  them  their  due 
meed  of  praise.  They  certainly  evinced  a  unaii- 
imity  of  purpose,  and  a  spirit  of  energy  and  libei'- 
aliry  rarely  surpasse<l  in  any  undertaking.  It  was 
no  small  achievement  at  that  day,  ibr  a  congrega- 
tion of  not  more  than  fivcn/y  comnumicants  to 
undertake   the   buildinu'  of  a  church   which    would 


89- 


reqiiire  the  outlay  of  $7,500,  beside  the  value  of 
the  oround  upon  which  it  stood.  It  was  but  six 
uiontlis  and  ten  days,  however,  from  the  passage  of 
the  resolution  that  a  eiuu'cii  should  be  built,  until 
its  finished  walls  echoed  the  voice  of  praise  and 
thanksgiving  to  (jod.  The  zeal  and  liberality 
manifested  by  those  whose  lot  it  was  to  organize 
this  Parish  and  ))uild  the  church,  has  rarely  been 
surpassed  or  e([ualled  at  any  subsequent  period  of 
its  history. 

Before  taking  leave  of  this  early  period  in  this 
history,  an  acknowledgment  is  also  due  for  the  ser- 
vices rendered  l)y  the  several  clergymen  already 
named.  In  looking  over  the  record,  it  will  strike 
any  one  that  these  services  were  kept  up  with  re- 
markable i-egularity.  Sometimes  on  stormy  winter 
nights,  the  clergyman  was  there  ready  to  officiate, 
when  no  congregation  came  out.  This  is  recorded 
once  of  the  R(>v.  Mr.  Clay,  senior,  who  must  have 
i)een  an  aged  man  at  that  time.  Conspicuous 
among  those  who  rendered  these  "frequent  and 
friendly"  services  is  the  name  of  the  present  vene- 
rable Bishop  of  Wisconsin,  whose  virtues  and  whose 
Labors  slundd  ever  be  held  in  grateful  remembrance 
not  only  by  this  Parish  and  Diocese,  but  by  the 
whole  American  Church.  The  first  Confirmaticm 
held  in  the  church,  and  the  second  m  the  history  ot 
the  Parish,  was  on  the  27th  of  September  —  just 
one  mouth  from  the  dav  ol  consecration.      Thirlevn 


40 


persons  were  then  confirmed.  On  the  4th  of  April, 
ISV?,  fourteen  persons  were  confirmed,  and  on  the 
19th  of  December,  of  the  same  year,  eight  persons; 
malvinji;  fifty-three  in  four  confirmations.  These 
were  the  last  Episcopal  acts  performed  by  Bisliop 
Wliite  in  this  cliurcli,  thuugli  he  preached  here 
once  after  the  Rev.  Mr.  Rodney  took  charge  of  the 
Parish . 

Tlie  records  of  tlie  church  sliow  thaf  the  Parisli 
was  now  in  an  encouraging  condition.  Within  .six- 
teen months  from  the  time  of  tlie  consecration  of 
the  church,  thirty-five  persons  were  added  to  the 
comnuniion  by  confirmation.  In  the  year  1819, 
there  were  forty-one  pews  and  ten  sittings  rented, 
(out  of  the  fifty-four  pews  which  the  church  con- 
tained,) producing  a  revenue  of  $858. 

In  the  month  of  June,  18-!2,  Mr.  Dupuy  was 
made  Assistant  Minister  in  the  Swedish  Episcopal 
Churches,  which  position  he  held  in  connection  Avith 
the  rectorship  of  this  Parish,  continuing  to  officiate 
here  on  Sunday  mornings,  and  at  St.  blames',  King- 
sessing,  twice  a  niontli,  and  at  Christ  Church,  Phila- 
delphia, once  a  month  in  the  afternoon.  Mf.  Du- 
puy was  compelled  by  failing  health,  the  following 
year,  to  ask  a  leave  of  absence  from  the  duties  of 
the  Parish,  and  i-equested  that  liis  place  should  be 
temporarily  supplied  by  some  other  clergyman  cho- 
sen by  the  vestry.     In  compliance  with  this  request. 


41 


on  the  21st  of  September,  182o,  the  Rev.  Edward 
R.  Lippitt  was  chosen  to  take  charge  of  the  Parish 
durinii;  the  absence  of  the  Rector.  In  the  month 
of  March  of  the  next  year,  however,  Mr.  Dupuv 
feeling  himself  compelled  to  retire  from  the  active 
duties  of  the  ministry  by  reason  of  continued  in- 
disposition, tendered^  his  final  resignation;  where- 
upon Mr.  Lippitt  was  unanimously  elected  his  suc- 
cessor. Mr.  Lippitt  continued  Hector  until  the 
month  of  August,  1825,  having  been  in  charge  of 
the  congregation  tor  a  period  of  two  years.  On 
the  5th  of  September  following,  the  Rev.  John 
Rodney,  then  Rector  of  Trinity  Church,  Easton,  was 
chosen  his  successor.  Mr.  Rodney  took  charge  of 
the  Parish  on  the  1st  of  October,  1825,  officiating 
for  the  first  time  as  Rector,  on  Sunday,  tlie  second 
day  of  that  month.  It  will  thus  be  seen  that  from 
1812  to  1825,  a  ])eriod  of  ihirtem  years,  there  were 
fivt  clergymen  in  charge  of  the  congregation,  the 
Rev.  Messrs.  Warren,  Ward,  Clay,  Dupu}^  and  Lip- 
pitt. Properly  speaking,  Mr.  Dupuy  was  the  first 
Rector,  the  Parish  not  having  ))een  duly  incorpora- 
ted until  after  he  assumed  charge.  Mr.  Rodney's 
rectorship  covering  alone  a  period  of /or/^-/z(;o  years, 
embraces,  of  course,  the  most  noted  changes  and 
the  hirgest.  growtii  in  the  history  of  the  Parish. 
Fourteen  years  had  now  passed  since  the  beginning 
of  tlie  ser\'ices  and  seven  since  the  building  of  the 
church,  with  such  general  success  and  growth  as 
rarei\-  marks  the   historv  ol    similar  undertakinirs. 


42 


This  year,  however,  (1825,)  found  the  Parish  in  a 
reduced  and  depressed  condition.  It  was  not  long, 
however,  until  the  former  prosperity  and  growth 
returned  again  to  the  great  joy.  of  the  zealous  and 
faithful  band,  who  had  laliored  for  the  good  of  the 
Parish  from  the  beginning.  In  the  month  of  July, 
1826,  the  Accounting  Warden  reports  to  the  vestry 
that  "the  prospects  of  the  church  have  evidently 
brightened;"  that  within  the  past  three  months  the 
income  from  pews  rented  had  increased  forty  per 
cent,  upon  the  previous  amount,  and  that  there  was 
an  encouraging  prospect  of  a  permanent  revenue 
for  the  support  of  the  Parish.  The  report  made  to 
the  Convention  the  following  year,  1827,  s>hows  that 
these  expectations  had  been  fully  realized.  It 
says — "  The  Rector  is  enabled  through  the  Divine 
blessing  to  report  the  obviously  improved  condition 
of  this  Parish  since  he  has  had  charge  of  it,  which 
has  been  little  more  than  one  year.  Those  unfor- 
tunate divisions  which  had  previously  existed  for 
manv  years,  which  had  rent  the  peace  oi"  the 
church,  and  had  separated  from  the  Holy  Altar 
some  of  its  ardent  friends,  have  happily  been  healed 
and  those  who  were  sometime  afar  off,  now  meet 
too;ether  in  harmonious  communion.  Under  these 
auspicious  circumstances,  the  revenue  of  the  church 
has  been  augmented,  the  numbers  in  attendance 
upon  its  services  multiplied,  and  its  outward  courts 
have  been  improved  and  beautified."  The  number 
of  communicants  according  to  this  report  was  21. 


43 


The  Sunday  School  had  14  teachers  and  150  pu- 
pils. St.  Thomas'  Church,  \Yhitemarsh,  was  at  this 
time  in  charge  of  the  Rector  of  this  Parish,  and  con- 
tinued so  for  two  or  three  years,  the  services  being 
held  in  each  church,  for  a  time  on  alternate  Sunday 
mornings,  and  afterward  twice  a  month. 

The  records  of  this  period  up  to  the  3^ear  1839, 
furnish  little  that  is  of  special  interest  to  us  now, 
or  necessary  to  repeat  here.  The  minutes  of  the 
vestry  for  that  year,  however,  contain  an  interesting 
record  which  should  not  be  passed  by.  The  execu- 
tors of  the  will  of  Mrs.  Hannah  Stokes,  widow  of 
Mr.  James  Stokes,  (who  had  been  a  zealous  and 
liberal  friend  of  the  Parish  from  the  beginning,)  re- 
port to  the  vestry  that  Mrs.  Stokes  had  becpieathed 
to  St.  Luke's  Church  a  house  and  lot  on  the  Main 
Street  of  Germantown,  two  doors  above  the  corner 
of  School  House  Lane.  This  bequest  Avas  accom- 
panied with  the  condition  that  the  property  should 
be  held  by  the  executors  of  the  will,  until  the  sum 
of  $500  should  accrue  from  the  rents,  to  be  invest- 
ed as  a  permanent  fund  for  the  repairs  of  the  house. 
These  conditions  having  been  complied  with,  the 
house  and  lot  were  subsequently  transferred  to  the 
vestry  of  this  Parish.*  At  a  special  meeting  held 
in  the  month  of  April  of  this  year,  a  committee 
was  appointed    to  consider  the  expediency  of  en- 

*  Thi:^  iJi-opi'i-ty  \v;i.-<  suld  in  llip  year  Isr'liT,  to  llic  G^ennautowu  IJaiik,  :uul 
tlip  ]iroc'(>i-(lfi  applied  toward  the  purchase  ol  tlie  Rectory  and  lot  now  owned 
Ijy  the  eon^n-et;atioii    and  occupied  by  the  present  Rector. 


44 


laroing"  the  churcli.  This  cominittee  did  not  re- 
port until  the  28th  of  February,  1840,  when  they 
stated  that  thei-e  was  a  demand  for  many  more 
pews  than  the  church  then  contained,  and  that  an 
enlargement  was  necessary.  It  had  at  first  been 
proposed  to  extend  the  church  in  the  rear,  but  it 
was  now  found  best  to  make  the  extension  ni  front. 
This  was  finally  done,  by  taking  down  the  front 
wall,  and  adding  fifteen  feet  to  the  length  of  the 
building.  This  made  room  for  twenty-four  addi- 
tional pews  in  the  new  part  of  the  church,  and  two 
otliers  were  also  erected  at  the  chancel  end.  Many 
other  improvements  were  made  at  the  same  time. 
The  shape  of  the  pulpit  and  chancel  were  altered, 
the  old  wall  replastered,  new  trimming  jjlaced  upon 
the  desk  and  organ  loft,  the  chancel  and  aisles  car- 
peted, additional  lamps  and  blinds  put  in  the  new 
part  of  the  church,  and  marble  steps  placed  at  the 
front  door,  the  improvements  costing  altogether 
about  $1,500.  While  these  repairs  v^ore  underway 
the  congi-egation  worshipped  in  the  lecture  room 
belonging  to  the  Presbyterian  congregation  on  the 
east  side  of  Main  Street,  two  doors  below  J3ring- 
hurst  Street,  which  is  now  a  prixate  residence. 
The  enlargement  and  repairs  were  finally  comple- 
ted, and  the  church  re-opened  for  Divine  worship 
on  Sunday,  July  5th,  1840.  Services  were  held  in 
the  morning,  afternoon  and  evening.  Bisho])  On- 
derdonk,  was  absent  on  a  visitation  to  the  intei-ior 
of  the  Diocese,  and  the  congregation  were  deprised 


45 


of  his  services.  The  Rector  preached  in  the  morn- 
ing, the  Rev.  N.  8.  Harris  in  the  afternoon,  and 
the  Rev.  II.  J.  Morton  in  the  evening.  The 
"Banner  of  the  Cross"  of  the  following  week,  gave 
an  account  of  the  opening  services,  and  stated  that 
the  "internal  ;irrangeinents  of  the  church  were  in 
the  best  taste,  and  that  they  were  exceeding]}'  neat 
and  convenient."  In  the  year  1 841,  a  new  organ 
was  put  in  the  gallery  of  the  church,  at  a  cost  of 
$()60.  The  efforts  to  obtain  the  money  for  this 
purpose,  and  to  discharge  the  remaining  indebted- 
ness for  the  recent  enlargement  of  the  church,  oa\e 
rise  to  an  association,  which  became  a  most  useful 
agent  l>c)th  in  the  parochial  and  missionary  work  of 
the  congregation.  ^This  was  the  "Ladies'  Mission- 
ary Association  of  St.  Luke's  Church,"  which  was 
formed  on  the  lOth  of  Novendjer,  1841.  The 
minutes  of  the  vestry  bear  frequent  testimony  of 
their  appreciation  of  the  important  aid  received 
time  and  again  from  this  Association,  in  various 
expenditures  they  were  required  to  make,  in  and 
about  the  church.  Their  labors,  however,  have  not 
been  confined  to  their  own  Parish,  but  the}'  have 
extended  a  helping  hand  to  the  work  of  the  Church 
in  other  parts  of  our  own  Diocese,  as  well  as  to  our 
Domestic  and  Foreign  Missions.  Texas,  Wisconsin, 
Minnesota,  Africa,  and  China  have  all  received  of 
their  benefactions,  as  well  as  our  zealous  and  faith- 
ful missionaries  among  the  Indian  tribes  of  the 
North  West. 


46 


Previous  to  the  year  184:],  the  Sunday  School  had 
been  held  in  the  churcli,  but  a  more  suitable  and 
convenient  room  bemg  needed,  a  part  of  the  base- 
ment was  now  prepared  and  furnished  for  that  pur- 
pose, by  means  provided  solely  by  the  "Ladies' 
Missionary  Association . '' 

In  the  year  1844,  a  movement  was  made  toward 
the  erection  of  a  belfry  over  the  vestry-room,  which 
then  stood  at  the  rear  of  the  church.  Various 
plans  were  submitted  from  time  to  time  without 
any  result  until  the  year  1847,  when  the  present 
spire  was  erected  at  the  cost  of  $1,(>00.  The  bell 
now  in  use,  was  the  gift  of  Frederick  Seckle,  Esq., 
and  was  hung  up  in  its  place  before  the  spire  was 
completed.  According  to  the  orginal  design  the 
spire  ^vas  to  ha^e  been  without  the  cross,  but 
through  the  exertions  of  Mr.  J.  S.  Littell,  then 
secretary  ol  tlie  vestry,  it  was  determined  to  finish 
it  with  a  gilded  cross,  the  cost  of  which  was  borne 
by  that  gentleman.  It  was  a  fitting  and  pious  work 
thus  to  surmouut  the  House  of  Prayer,  with  the 
symbol  of  our  fiiith,  to  teach  the  living  the  source 
of  all  hope,  while  it  casts  iisconsoliug  shadow  u[)on 
(he  i:ra,ves  beneath.      So  liow  — 


"  The  dead  in  Cfirist — the}'  rest  in  hope 
And  o'ov  tlioir  sleep  snblinio. 
Tile  sliaddW  of  the  steeple  moves, 
l''roin  iiiorii  to    vi'sper  cdiime  : 


.47 

On  every  mound,  in  solemn  shade 

Its  imaged  cross  doth  lie, 
As  goes  the  sunlight  to  the  west 

Or  rides  the  moon  on  high." 

In  the  year,  1848,  the  Rev.  George  P.  Hopkins 
was  appointed  a  missionary  at  Doylestown,  Chestnut 
Hill  and  Jenkintown.  He  labored  in  these  places 
lor  several  years,  supported  by  the  Ladies'  Associ- 
ation in  connection  with  several  gentlemen  of  the 
congregation.  The  church  now  standing  at  Doyles- 
town, is  one  of  the  fruits  of  that  mission.  The 
Rector  of  this  Parish  preached  the  sermon  at  the 
opening  of  the  church,  on  Easter  Sunday,  1858. 
In  his  report  to  the  Convention  of  1847,  the 
Missionary  says — "  Many  thanks  are  due  to  the 
Female  Association  of  St.  Luke's  Church,  German- 
town,  and  also  to  several  pious  laymen,  without 
whose  uid  and  co-operation  this  mission  could  not 
have  been  sustained." 

In  the  month  of  Februar\-,  1847,  an  arrangement 
was  made  by  the  Rector,  (and  subsequenth'  ap- 
proved by  the  vestry,)  with  the  Rev.  W.  N.  Diehl, 
then  Rector  of  St.  Thomas  Church,  Whitemarsh,  by 
which  Mr.  Diehl  was  to  preach  in  St.  Luke's  on  the 
first  and  fourth  Sunday  evening  of  every  month,  and 
to  superintend  the  Sunday  School.  He  and  Mr.  Rod- 
ney were  also  to  exchange  services  on  the  morning 
ol"  the  second  Siniday  in  the  month.  Thi.s  arrange- 
ment continued  until  the  month  of  March,  18-33. 


48 


The  continued  increase  of  the  congregation  had 
now  rendered  a  second  enlargement  of  the  church 
necessary,  and  in  the  month  of  February,  1850,  a 
committee  was  appointed  for  the  purpose  of  "de- 
vising measures  for  the  improvement,  enkirgement, 
and  repairs  of  the  chnrch." 

Various  plans  were  proposed,  but  nothing  was 
accomplished  until  the  fall  of  1851,  when  the  work 
of  enlargement  was  vigorously  undertaken.  The 
end  wall  of  the  church  was  taken  out  and  an  exten- 
sion of  thirty  feet  made,  which  inchides  the  present 
chancel,  vestry-room  and  organ  chamber.  A  new 
roof  was  put  on  the  whole  building,  and  a  new 
triplet  window  put  ni  the  chancel.  The  old  win- 
dows of  the  nave  of  the  church  were  replaced  with 
couplets  of  stained  glass.  The  chancel  Avas  fur- 
nished with  stalls,  chairs,  altar,  credence  table  and 
lectern  as  they  now  stand.  The  present  font  was 
procured,  the  organ  then  in  use  was  improved  and 
its  power  gi-eatly  increased.  The  whole  church 
was  re-plastered,  painted  and  carpeted,  and  the 
Sunday  School-room  in  the  basement  enlarged  and 
rehtted,  at  a  cost  altogether  of  $5,200.  More  than 
one-fourth  of  this  sum  was  provided  by  the  "La- 
dies' Asssociation."  The  stalls  in  the  chancel,  the 
Bishop's  and  Rector's  chair  and  the  font  were  pro- 
cured almost  entirely  by  funds  raised  by  an  associ- 
ation of  young  ladies  called  the  "Ilodney  Associa- 
tion."    The  beautiful  and  appropriate  Communion 


49 


Service  now  in  use,  was  the  gift  of  the  ladies  of  the 
congreg-ation,  through  Mrs.  King  and  Mrs.  Littell. 
It  was  first  used  on  the  Festival  of  Easter,  April 
7th,  1855. 

While  the  enlargement  was  being  made,  services 
were  held  every  Sunday  morning,  in  the  Fellow\ship 
Hall,  in  Laurel  Street.  The  church  was  re-opened 
for  Divine  service  by  Bishop  Potter,  in  the  presence 
of  a  number  of  clerovmen,  and  a  lari»e  cong-reoation 
of  the  laity,  on  Thursday,  the  5th  of  February,  1852, 
having  been  closed  just  five  months.  The  Building 
Committee,  to  whose  superintendence  this  important 
work  was  entrusted,  were  Messrs.  J.  S.  Littell,  T. 
A.  Xewhjtll,  and  D.  K.  King.  The  plans  for  the 
improvements  were  furnished  by  Mr.  John  M.  Gries, 
an  accomplished  architect  and  devoted  churchman 
of  our  own  city,  who  now  sleeps  in  a  soldier's 
grave  —  a  niartyr  to  his  country  upon  the  san- 
guinary field  of  "Fair  Oaks." 

In  the  month  of  September,  1854,  the  Rector 
stated  to  the  vestry  his  desire  to  have  an  Assistant, 
and  nojuinated  the  Rev.  Cjrus  F.  Knight  for  that 
office.  This  nomination  was  confirmed,  and  Mr. 
Knight  entere;]  upon  his  duties  early  in  the  month 
of  October,  and  continued  in  this  relation  until  the 
month  of  May,  1856. 

At  a  vestry  meeting  held  in  October,  1854,  a 
communication  was   submitted   from   the  "Ladies' 


50 


Associaticjii"  suggesting  the  importance  of  estab- 
lishing, in  connection  with  this  Parish  and  subject 
to,  its  government,  a  Free  Chapel,  to  be  located 
under  direction  of  the  vestry,  in  some  populous 
manufacturing  neighbourhood,  where  laboring  emi- 
grants and  the  poor  generally,  might  have  oppor- 
tunity free  of  all  charge  of  attending  the  services 
of  the  church."  In  compliance  with  this  suggestion 
the  vestry  passed  the  following  resolution :  ''Resolved, 
That  the  suggesiion  of  the 'Ladies'  Association,'  in 
reference  to  a  Free  Chapel,  is  cordially  approved, 
and  that  the  co-operation  of  the  Association  is  re- 
spectfully requested,"  After  frequent  conferences 
between  a  committee  of  the  vestry  and  the  "Ladies' 
Association,"  in  reference  to  the  locality  of  the  pro- 
posed Chapel,  and  the  manner  of  its  support,  it  was 
determined  finally  to  begin  the  services  somewhere 
in  the  lower  end  of  Germantown,  if  a  suitable  place 
could  be  obtained.  By  resolution  of  the  vestry, 
dated  the  11th  of  April,  1855,  the  Rector  was  re- 
cjuested  to  invite  the  Kev.  Mr.  Dielil  to  take  charge 
of  the  chapel,  and  services  were  accordingly  begun 
by  him  in  the  Odd  Fellows'  Hall,  in  Duy's  Lane, 
on  Sunday,  the  10th  of  June,  1855,  and  continued 
in  the  same  place  until  the  conq^letion  of  the  Church 
of  St.  John  the  Baptist  It  continued  to  be  a  (Jhapel 
of  St.  Luke's,  and  to  derive  its  support  from  this 
congregaticm  until  the  month  of  July,  1858,  when 
it  was  made  a  separate  and  independent  Parish. 
After  the  connection  was  severed,  $2,500  were  con-. 


51 


trihuted  toward  the  baildiiig  of  the  church  by  mem- 
bers of  this  congregation,  several  of  whom  still  con- 
tinue to  be  systematic  contributors  to  its  support. 

In  the  mouth  of  January,  1856,  a  Parish  School 
Society  was  tormed  by  a  numljer  of  zealous  ladies 
of  the  congregation,  for  the  j^urpose  of  establishing 
a  school  for  the  moral  and  religious  training  of  such 
children  of  the  Parish  as  might  avail  themselves  of 
its  privileges;  for  im})arting  a  knowledge  of  the  doc- 
trines and  usages  of  the  Church,  Avith  the  rudiments 
of  an  English  education,  and  for  instructing  the  girls 
in  plain  sewing.  The  school  was  opened  on  the 
19th  of  May,  in  a  basement  room  of  the  Town  Hall 
with  snicn  scholars.  This  number  soon  increased 
to  twenty -eight,  and  it  has  sometimes  been  over 
fifty.  It  was  i-emoved,  tlie  next  year,  to  a  rotTm  in 
School  House  Lane,  where  it  continued  until  the 
autunni  ot  the  year  1867,  when  it  was  remo\ed  to 
the  i;ew  Parish  Building.  Its  friends  and  patrons 
iuduluc  tlie  hope  that  it  lias  exerted  a  wholesome 
and  abiding  influence  upon  the  characters  of  the 
children  connnitted  to  its  care.  Although  its  his- 
tor}'  is  so  brief,  not  a  few  ol'  its  ])upils  have  already 
passed  from  its  oversight  to  the  stirring  scenes,  the 
responsibilities  and  the  temptations  of  mature  hie. 
Several  of  the  boys  did  good  ser\ice  to  their  country 
in  the  late  war,  where  they  not  only  won  the  praise 
of  their  associates  and  superiors,  but  also  proved 
themselves  good  soldiers  of  Jesus  Christ. 


5^ 


During  a  part  of  the  summer  and  autumn  of  1856, 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Gillett,  of  the  Diocese  of  Texas,  acted 
as  Assistant  to  the  Rector,  and  in  the  month  of  Oc- 
tober, of  the  same  year,  the  Rev.  B.  Wistar  Morris, 
Rector  of  St.  David's  Church,  Manayunk,  was  elected 
Assistant  Minister,  entering  upon  his  duties  on  the 
first  of  January,  1857. 

The  organ  now  in  use  —  ))uilt  by  Mr.  Knauff — 
was  placed  in  the  church  in  the  month  of  February, 
of  the  same  _year,  at  a  cost  oi  $2,000,  and  first 
used  on  Sexagessima  Sunday,  February  15th,  1857. 
The  committee  express  tliemselves  greatly  indebted 
for  the  possession  of  this  fine  instrument  to  the  ser- 
vices rendered  by  two  young  gentlemen  tlren  mem- 
bers of  the  choir,  in  collectino-  money  lor  its  piu*chase. 
And  the  congregation  were  indebted,  for  the  excel- 
lent music  which  so  long  characterized  this  church, 
chiefly  to  the  members  of  two  lamilies,  whose  united 
services,  exteuding  over  a  period  of  twenty-five 
years,  were  rendered  with  great  faithfulness  and 
punctuality.  In  the  year  18G2,  important  im- 
provements were  made  to  Ijotli  the  interior  and 
exterior  of  the  churcli,  at  an  ex]ienditui-e  of  about 
$1,800;  making  the  whole  cost  of  the  church  and 
furniture,  up  to  this  time,  $18,011.  This  does  not 
include  the  $1,500  paid  For  the  front  lot.  nor  the 
various  sums  paid  foi'  additional  ground  ])ur('hascd 
on  both  sides  of  the  clnu'ch,  nor  yet  the  expendi- 
tures for  other  improvements  in  and  about  the  build- 


53 


ing  such  as  stoves,  furnaces,  fences,  sheds,  filling  up 
and  grading  the  church-yard  and  building  the  out- 
side wall,  etc.,  Avhich  might  safely  be  put  down  at 
$5,000 ;  making  an  entire  expenditure  for  the  church 
building  and  its  surroundings  of  over  $23,000  before 
the  purchase  of  the  "Pine  Place"  property,  and  the 
erection  of  the  Parish  Building. 

Before  Mr.  Rodney  took  charge  of  the  Parish 
there  had  been  five  Confirmations — the  first  in  No- 
vember, 1814,  and  the  last  in  December,  1819 — 
fifty -three  persons  in  all  having  been  confirmed. 
Six  baptisms  are  recorded,  and  fifteen  burials  The 
first  interment  in  the  church-yard  was  that  of  Mrs. 
Harriet  Conway,  on  the  '20th  of  June,  1818,  while 
the  church  was  beiug  built. 

During  the  Rectorship  of  Mr.  Rodney  there  were 
736  baptisms,  280  confirmations,  150  marriages  and 
390  burials ;  making,  in  the  whole  history  of  the 
Parish,  up  to  August  27th,  18(38,  so  far  as  recorded, 
742  baptisms,  333  confirmations,  150  marriages  and 
751  burials. 

The  most  important  additions  to  the  property  of 
the  Parisli  during  Mr.  Rodney's  Rectorship  were  in 
the  purchase  of  the  "Pine  Place,"  and  erecting 
thereon  the  large  and  handsome  Parish  Building, 
now  standing  beside  the  church.  This  undertaking- 
was  inaugurated  on  Thanksgiving  Day,  December 
7th,  1805.     The  congregation  then  undertook  the 


54 


purchase  of  this  property  for  a  Parsonage,  and  for 
the  purpose  of  erecting  on  it  this  Parish  Building, 
as  a  "  thank  offering  to  God  tor  the  blessings  of 
peace."  Ground  was  broken  with  religious  services 
for  the  foundation,  on  the  2oth  of  June,  1866,  and  the 
finished  building  was  dedicated  by  Bishop  8teven>, 
in  the  presence  of  a  number  of  clergymen  and  a  large 
assembly  of  the  laity,  on  the  21st  of  June,  1867. 


Twelve  thousand  dollars  were  paid  for  this  pro- 
perty, and  two  thousand  expended  in  repairs  on  the 
Parsonage.  The  Parish  Building  with  its  furniture, 
and  grading  of  the  lot  cost  with  fire  insurance,  &c., 
$19,521  93;  making  the  whole  cost  of  this  addi- 
tional property  $33,521  93.  The  last  indebtedness 
for  the  building  was  provided  for  by  a  collection 
and  subscriptions  on  Easter  Day,  1868,  amounting 
to  $3,567  10. 

There  was  thus  added  to  the  property  of  the 
Parish  a  lot  of  ground  77  feet  front  by  440  deep, 
with  a  large  double  house  for  a  Rectory,  the  beau- 
tiful and  complete  Parish  Building,  with  its  sur- 
rounding yard,  and  a  lot  of  ground  in  the  rear  of 
these,  which  m  a  few  years  will  be  a  valuable  ex- 
tension of  the  Cemetery.  All  this  has  been  done 
in  a  way  that  reflects  credit  upon  the  wisdom  and 
liberality  of  the  congregation.  The  Parish  Build- 
ing will  stand  for  many  generations  as  a  testimonj' 
of  their  belief,  that  the  Christian  training  of  the 
children   of  the   church    is   a   work   worthv  of  the 


55 


best,  the  most  convenient,  and   the  most  tasteful 
appliances  that  can  be  furnished. 

In  the  month  of  October,  1867,  the  Rev.  B. 
Wistar  Morris,  who  had  been  the  Rector's  Assistant 
since  the  1st  of  January,  1857,  was  called  to  the 
Rectorship  of  St.  Peter's  Church,  Philadelphia. 
Mr.  Rodney  not  wishing  him  to  sever  his  connection 
w^ith  this  Parish,  proposed  to  resign  the  Rectorship, 
in  order  to  have  Mr.  Morris  elected  Rector,  and  to 
accept  for  himself  the  place  of  Emeritus  Rector. 
Mr.  Morris  finally  accepting  this  proposition,  was 
duly  elected  Rector  on  the  22d  of  November,  1867. 
At  the  General  Convention  of  October,  1868,  held 
in  the  Cit}"  of  New^  York,  he  was  elected  Missionary 
Bishop  of  Oregon  and  Washington  Territory,  and 
acceptiug  this  office,  he  resigned  the  Rectorship  of 
St.  Luke's  on  the  18th  of  November.  By  request 
of  the  vestry,  he  continued  in  charge  of  the  Parish 
until  the  1st  of  January,  1869,  making  the  whole 
period  of  his  connection  with  the  congregation 
twelve  years. 

The  following  correspondence  and  resolutions 
close  his  official  connection  with  the  Parish: 

Vestry  Room,  ] 

St.  Luke's  Church,  Germantown,  J- 

Novemhpv  LS,  1868.      J 

At  a  meeting  of  the  Vestry  of  St.  Luke's  Church, 
Germantown,  held  this  evening,  the  following  pro- 


56 


ceedings  took  place  and  were  ordered  to  be  pub- 
lished. 

"  To   THE  Vestry   of  8t.  Luke's  Church,  German- 
town  : 

"Ge?itlemen — Having  accepted  from  the  General 
Convention  the  appointment  of  Missionary  Bishop 
of  Oregon  and  Washington  Territory,  it  becomes 
necessary  for  me  to  resign  the  Rectorship  of  this 
Parish,  which  I  hereby  do.  I  can  but  feebly  ex- 
press the  emotions  under  which  I  thus  separate 
myself  from  this  congregation,  in  which  I  have 
ministered  now  for  nearly  twelve  years. 

"I  go  from  them  with  the  deepest  regret,  and 
with  sentiments  of  esteem  and  affection  that  will 
survive  all  separations  of  distance,  and  outlast  all 
the  vicissitudes  of  time.  Better  friends  I  can  never 
find  in  life,  and  for  all  their  kindness  to  me  and 
mine  1  am  deeplj-  grateful.  The  thought  that 
weighs  most  heavily  on  my  mind  is  of  the  short- 
comings in  my  high  office  that  may  have  brought 
damage  to  their  spiritual  interests. 

"1  can  only  hope  and  pray  for  them,  that  the 
Great  Head  of  the  Church  will  soon  give  them  a 
wiser  and  Ix^tter  ]:>astor,  under  whose  guidance  they 
shall  go  on  in  the  earnest  pursuit  of  all  things  that 
are  lovely  and  of  good  report;  and  that  the  most 
abundant  blessings  shall  be  vouchsafi?d  to  them  by 
Him  from  udiom  ail  liood  thiniis  do  come. 


57 


"With  sentiments  of  the  kindest  regard,  to  3^ou 
all    personally, 

"  I  am  very  truly,  yours, 

-B.  W18TAR  MORRIS." 

Upon  the  receipt  of  the  above  letter  the  follow- 
ing Preamble  and  Resolutions  were  unanimously 
adopted. 

"Whereas,  The  Rector  of  this  Church,  the  Rev. 
B.  Wistar  Morris,  has  tendered  to  the  Vestry  his 
resignation  of  the  office  to  the  full  duties  of  which 
he  was  so  recently  called,  and  from  which  he  now 
retires  to  enter  upon  the  more  extensive  field  of  the 
Episcopate  of  Oregon  and  Washington,  to  which  he 
has  been  elected  by  the  unanimous  voice  of  the  late 
General  Convention,  therefore, 

''Resolved,  That  the  resignation  of  the  Rev.  B. 
Wistar  Morris  is  hereby  accepted,  and  that  he  be 
requested  to  permit  it  to  take  effect,  not  before  the 
first  day  of  January  next,  until  which  time  the 
Vestry  beg  that  he  will  continue  in  charge  of  the 
Parish  as  heretofore,  thus  completing  twelve  years 
of  his  incumbency  as  Rector's  Assistant,  and  as 
Rector  of  the  Parish. 

''Resolved,  That  the  occupancy  of  the  Parsonaire 
be,  an4  is  hereby  tendered  to  the  family  of  the  Rec- 


58 


tor  until  such  time  as  he  msiy  be  prepared  to  remove 
them  to  his  future  home. 

'" Resolved,  That  while  yielding  to  the  necessity 
of  sundering  the  spiritual  relations  which  have  ex- 
isted for  so  long  a  period,  the  Vestry  desire  to  place 
on  record  some  expression  of  their  deep  sorrow  for 
this  necessity,  and  their  appreciation  of  the  faith- 
fulness, earnestness,  and  Christian  zeal,  with  which 
Mr.  Morris  has  performed  his  duties  during  these 
years. 

"  They  will  always  cherish  a  grateful  recollection 
of  his  godly  life,  his  unwearied  patience  and  indus- 
try, his  gentleness  and  large-hearted  charity  and 
his  entire  devotedness  to  the  Master's  work,  in  the 
Church  at  large,  as  well  as  within  the  bounds  of 
this  Parish. 

"For  themselves  and  for  the  congregation,  in 
whose  name  they  know  they  may  speak  with  con- 
fidence, the  Vestry  bid  him  God-speed  in  the  great 
work  to  which  he  has  been  called. 

"  They  assure  him  that  he  will  carry  with  him  to 
that  fjir-off  countrj',  their  devout  prayers  that  the 
blessing  of  Almightv  God  mav  abide  with  him 
always;  that  life  and  health  may  be  spared  to 
him  and  his  family;  that  a  rich  blessing  and  abun- 


59 


dant  IViiit  may  follow  his  ministry  in  that  land  of 
strangers,  and  that  at  last  he  may  receive  the  bene- 
diction, 'Well  done,  thou  good  and  faithful  servant, 
enter  thou  into  the  joy  of  the  Lord.'  " 


JAMES  M.  AERT8EN,  I 


Pv.  P.  MrCULLAGH, 
J.  R.  LAMBDTN,  ^ 

GEO.  BLIGHT, 
CHARLES  MAGARGE, 
THOS.  H.  MONTGOMERY, 
W'M.  R.  WEBB, 
ROBERT  P.  MORTON, 
JOHN  F.  BLANDY, 
SAMUEL  V.  xMERRICK, 
GEO.  E.  ARNOLD, 
GEO.  R.  BARKER, 


S 


Wardens. 


)  Vestrymen. 


APPENDIX. 


APPENDIX  A. 

PROCEEDINGS  IN  REGARD  TO  MR.  RODNEY'S  RESIGNATION. 

At  a  Special  Meeting  of  the  Vestry  of  St.  Luke's  Church,  Ger- 
mantoxon,  [called  at  the  request  oj  the  Rector,)  held  on  the 
evening  of  the  'l\st  of  October,  1867: — 

The  following  communication  was  presented  by  the  Rector : 

Germantown,  Oct.  21st,  1867. 
To  THE  Vestry  op  St.  Luke's  Church  : 

Gentlemen: — It  is  known  to  most  of  you,  that  our  Assistant 
Minister,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Morris,  has  recently  received  a  call  to 
St.  Peter's  Church,  Philadelphia,  and  it  is  feared  he  may,  from 
prudential  considerations,  be  induced  to  accept  it.  This  meet- 
ing has  therefore  been  called  to  take  into  consideration  the  state 
of  the  case,  and,  if  it  is  deemed  most  expedient  to  retain  his 
services  amongst  us,  then  to  suggest  and  devise  the  means  of 
securing  that  result. 

JOHx\  RODNEY, 
Rector  of  St.  Luke's,  S^c. 

The  Rector  then  stated,  verbally,  that  he  had  been  for  a  long 
time  anxious  to  be  relieved  from  the  responsibilities  of  the  office 
of  Rector,  provided  the  Rev.  Mr.  Morris  could  be  elected  there- 
to, and  suggested  this  as  the  proper  time  to  carry  out  this  design  ; 
whereupon  the  following  preamble  and  resolution  were,  on  motion, 
adopted  : 

Whereas,  The  Rector  of  this  Church  has  signified  his  inten- 
tion of  resigning  his  Rectorship,  provided  that  the  Vestry,  com- 


02 


plying  with  the  usual  forms  in  such  cases,  elect  the  Eoctor's 
Assistant  as  Rector  of  the  Church  ;  therefore, 

Resolved,  That  a  Committee  of  two  members  of  this  Yestry 
be  appointed  to  wait,  in  conjunction  with  the  Key*  Mr.  Rodney, 
upon  the  Rev.  Mr.  Morris,  and  tender  him  the  Rectorship  of 
the  Church  when  such  vacancy  occurs,  as  is  above  indicated. 

On  motion,  the  two  Wardens  were  appointed  the  Committee, 
to  act  with  the  Rector. 


^It  an  adjourned  Special  Meeting,  held  on  the  eimiing  of  the 
loth  of  October : — 

The  following  communication  was  presented  by  the  Rector : 

To  THE  Vestry  op  St.  Luke's  Church,  Germantown  : 

GrENTLEMEN  : — As  Chairman  of  the  Committee  appointed  to 
present  to  the  Rev.  Mr.  Morris  the  preamble  and  resolution 
passed  by  the  Vestry  at  a  meeting  held  on  the  21st  instant,  I 
am  happy  to  report  his  acceptance  of  the  terms  and  provisions 
therein  set  forth  ;  and  consequent  thereupon,  I  do  hereby  resign 
the  situation  1  have  so  long  occupied  as  Rector  of  St.  Luke's 
Church. 

It  is  more  than  forty-two  years  since  the  connection,  now 
officially  terminated,  commenced.  It  was  on  the  27th  of  August, 
1825;  and  through  those  many  revolving  years  what  a  multitude 
of  incidents  have  occurred,  the  memory  of  which  can  but  excite 
the  deepest,  yea,  the  most  oppressive  emotions  in  my  bosom  ; 
whilst  I  reflect  on  the  thousands  that  have  been  brought  under 
my  pastoral  care,  or  have  been  the  subjects  of  my  humble  min- 
istrations, in  sorrow  and  in  joy,  in  sickness  and  in  death,  and  for 
weal  or  for  woe  eternal.  Standing  on  the  verge  of  time,  with 
its  briefest  prolongation  in  anticipation,  may  I  not  ask  your 
sympathy  and  renewed  prayers,  that  my  shortcomings  may  be 
pardoned,  and  that  my  humble  services,  whether  at  the  altar  or 


6>] 


the  font,  in  the  sanctuary  or  at  the  grave,  may  be  accepted  at 
His  hand,  whose  approving  smile  is  the  "  i-ichest  boon  that 
Heaven  bestows?" 

JOHN  RODNEY. 

October  25th,  1867. 


The  resignation  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Rodney  having  been  accepted, 
and  the  Rev.  Mr.  Morris  nominated  to  fill  the  vacancy,  the 
following  preamble  and  resolutions  were  unanimously  adopted, 
and,  with  the  letter  from  the  Rev.  Mr.  Rodney,  ordered  to  be 
printed,  and  a  copy  sent  to  each  pewholder  : 

Whereas,  The  Rev.  John  Rodney  has  tendered  his  resig- 
nation as  Rector  of  St.  Luke's  Church,  Germantown,  (which 
office  he  has  held  for  the  past  forty-two  years,)  in  order  that  the 
Rev.  B.  Wistar  Morris,  who  has  ministered  in  the  parish  for 
nearly  eleven  years  as  the  Rector's  Assistant,  may  be  elected 
Rector ;  and  Whereas,  the  Vestry,  feeling  assured  that  they 
reflect  the  wish  and  opinion  of  the  congregation,  earnestly  desire 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Rodney  to  retain  as  close  official  connection  with 
the  parish  as  is  possible  under  the  circumstances,  so  long  as  God 
in  His  wise  providence  shall  spare  him  to  us  ;  therefore, 

Resolved,  That  in  consideration  of  his  long  ministerial 
service,  so  rare  in  these  changing  times,  as  well  as  of  the  strong 
attachment  and  affection  of  the  congregation,  the  Vestry  hereby 
tender  to  the  Rev.  Mr.  Rodney,  and  beg  his  acceptance  of,  the 
office  of  Rector  Emeritus,  to  which  they  have  this  evening 
elected  him. 

Resolved,  That  the  Secretary  be,  and  is  hereby  instructed,  to 
prepare  a  copy  of  the  foregoing  preamble  and  these  resolutions, 
to  which  shall  be  attached  the  signatures  of  the  Wardens  and 
Vestrymen,  and  send  the  same  to  the  Rev.  Mr.  Rodney,  as  a 
testimonial  of  their  regard  and  affection,  assuring  him  that  their 


64 


earnest  prayer  is,  that  God  may  long  spare  liim  to  go  in  and  out, 
and  worsiiip  with  his  old  parishioners,  and  that  He  may  in  his 
declining  years  pour  upon  him  His  choicest  blessing. 

JAMES  M.  AERTSEN,  ) 

R.  P.  McCULLAGH,      i  Wardens, 

D.  RODNEY  KING, 

J.  R.  LAMBDIN, 

GEO.   BLIGHT, 

THOS.  H.  MONTGOMERY, 

VVM.  H.  WEBB, 

CHARLES  MAGARGE, 

R.  P.  MORTON, 

J.  F.  BLANDY, 

S.  V.  MERRICK. 


APPENDIX  B. 

It  appears  from  the  autobiography  of  the  Rev.  Samuel  Tur- 
ner, D.  D.,  so  long  connected  with  the  Gen.  Theological  Semi- 
nary, that  he  was  at  this  time  called  to  the  Rectorship  of  St. 
Luke's.  He  resigned  his  charge  at  Chestertown,  Maryland,  with 
a  view  of  settling  in  Germantown,  of  which  he  speaks  as  follows  : 
"  When  I  resigned  the  church  at  Chestertown,  (August  10,  I!^l  7,) 
I  expected  to  go  immediately  to  Germantown,  near  Philadelphia, 
to  become  pastor  of  a  newly-formed  congregation  in  that  place. 
There  was,  at  that  time,  no  church  edifice,  but  it  was  expected 
that  arrangements  for  erecting  one  would  be  carried  into  efiect 
without  delay,  and  these  expectations  were  soon  after  realized. 
The  situation  of  Rector  had  been  oifered  to  me  ;  but  as  I  delayed 
for  some  time  to  give  a  decided  answer,  some  of  the  leading  men 
became  dissatisfied,  and  they  called  another  candidate,  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Dupuy  of  Philadelphia,  who  accepted  the  invitation." 


65 


APPENDIX  C. 


FIKST    STUSCHIPTIOX    LIST. 


James  Stokes $1000 

Thomas  Armat 500 

Sarah  Ann  Armat 200 

Jaue  C.  Armat 200 

Miss  Smarts oOO 

\V.  Chancellor 200 

Richard  Bayley 800 


Mary  Donaldson $200 

Alexander  Armor 100 

Edward  Thompson 100 

John  M.  Price 200 

John  Perot 100 

C.  P.  Wayne 100 

John  Ashmead 40 


This  original  subscription  book  is  still  in  the  possession  of  one 
of  the  members  of  the  congregation,  and  bears  as  an  appropriate 
heading  the  first  verse  of  the  84th  Psalm  in  the  Psalter  version. 
The  amount  of  the  above  subscription  ($3540)  being  inadequate 
to  the  building  of  a  church,  nothing  further  was  accomplished  at 
this  time.  1  he  subject  was  revived  by  Mr.  Dupuy,  in  the  fall 
of  1S17,  when  additional  subscriptions  were  obtained  as  follows: 


John  Goddard $200 

Dr.  Betton 200 

Joseph  Taggart 200 

John    Harland 100 

Sarah  Burson 50 

William  Schlatter 50 

Benjamin   Chew 50 

Lewis   Neill 50 

(Je.trge    Blight 50 

William    Cardwell 50 

Robert  Blackwell 80 

James  Schott 80 

Cash 80 

A.    Walker,  jr 25 

F.  Chandler 20 

John   Markoe 20 


C.   Biddle,jr., $20 

Hor.  Binney 20 

Cash ' 20 

William   Brown 20 

H .  Simpson 20 

Richard  Dale 20 

C.  Biddle 20 

John  Stoddart 20 

J.  H.  Brinton 20 

L,   Burn 20 

Henry  Pratt 20 

John  D.  Sheaff' 20 

John  J.  Wheeler 20 

M.  H.  Hughs 20 

R.  S.  Moore 20 

John    Bohleu 10 


66 


Thomas  Astley 

John  Watson 20 

John    Marklancl 5 

Edward    Garfield 5 

Henry   Toland 50 

Edward  Twells 50 

William   Hirst 50 

Daniel    Dupuy 50 

A.   Konighmaker 50 

James  Williams 80 

Godfrey  Twells 30 

James    Tule 25 

Robert  Wain 25 

C.    Comegys 20 

C.  N.  Bancker 20 

James  Kitchen 20 

Charles  Watson 20 

James  Taylor 20 

C.  W.  Hare 20 

Cash 20 

Cash 20 

John  McClure 20 

T.  Camac 20 

William   (^haloner 20 

William  Hyle 20 

J.  G-.  Chamberlain 20 

Paul    Beck 20 

John  B.  Wallace 20 

Samuel    Kelph 20 

L.  Hollingsworth  k  Son.  .  20 

John  Dupuy 20 

Joshua  Lippencott 10 

G.    Wilcox 10 

J.  Strawbridge 10 

Cash 80 

J.  Cooper 10 


E.  Bronson |     5 

S.  Nevins 10 

Jacob  Hall 10 

Charles   Barrington 10 

Daniel  Smith 10 

William  Cramond 10 

William  Lehman 20 

James  Ashmead 10 

John  M.  Fry 5 

Henry   Gravenstine 3 

M,  .Martin 1 

James  S.  Smith 20 

Thomas   Fassitt 10 

James    Fassitt 10 

II.  Dehaven 5 

John  White 80 

Hon.  William  Tilghman.  40 

Jacob  Emhardt 4 

Ephraim  Clark 20 

Peter  Keyser 10 

Cash 10 

F   B.  Freeman 10 

Thomas    W.  Morris 10 

Walter  Herr 10 

Crook   Stevenson 5 

Dr.  Samuel    Betton 100 

T.    Thompson 20 

James  Ogilby 10 

John   Williamson 3 

Richard  Charlton 1 

J.   R.   Cox 20 

Silas  E.  Weir 20 

Stephen  North 10 

James  Musgrave 5 

Cash 20 

Joseph  White 20 


67 


Wiliiam  J.  Baker $10     John  Lisle $25 

Thomas  W.  Hall 10     John  Whittall 5 

Cash 10     Richard  Milne 20 

Note — Thi^  lollowing  aro  the  names  of  the  subscribers  to  the  first  sub- 
scriiitions  in  1811,  referred  to  on  pape '27:— J.  H.  Watmough,  SID;  James  Stokes, 
»10:  Daniel  Lammot,  jr.,  f  10;  Richard  Bayley,  fill;  Mary  Donaldson,  spin  ; 
Mary  Clark,  SKI :  .lohn  Coulter,  Sin :  Thos.  Armat,  SlU  ;  Alexander  Armour, 
S5:  James  Moyes.  !«.5;  Mrs.  Morris  ip.5:  T.  Bringhurst.  iP5  ;  M.  Conyngham,  $5; 
Mrs.  C   J.  VVistar,  $5. 


APPENDIX  D. 

T.IST  OF    CLEROYMEN    HAYING  HAD    UHARCIE  OF    ST.    LUKE'S 
CHURCH,  GERMANTOWN. 

Rev.  Mr.  Warren,  from  July  13,  1812  to  October  18,  1812. 
Rev.  Mr.  Ward,  from  March  25,  1813  to  August  29,  1813. 
Rev.  J.  C.  Clay,  from  December  13,  1813  to  Feb.  16,  1817. 
Rev.  Chas.  M.  Dupuy,  first  Rector^  June  22, 1817  to  March,  1824. 
Rev.  Edward  R.  Lippitt,*  March  10,  1824  to  September,  1825. 
Rev.  John  Rodney,  from  October  1,  1825  to  October  25,  1867. 
Rev.  B.  Wistar  Morris,  from 'Nov.  22,  1867  to  Jan.  1,  1869. 

ASSISTANT    MINISTERS. 

Rev.  \Vm.  N.  Diehl,  February,  1847  to  March,  1853. 
Rev.  Cyrus  F.  Knight,  October,  1854  to  May,  1856. 
Rev.  B.  Wistar  Morris,  January,  1857  to  November,  1867. 

CHURCH  WARDENS. 

James  Stokes, Elected  March  27,  1815. 

Thomas  Armat, Elected  March  27,  1815. 

John  W.  Ashmead, Appointed  April  14,  1823. 

John  Coulter, Elected  April  14,  1823. 

James  Stokes, Appointed  March  30,  1826. 

Samuel  Wagner, Elected  April  19,  1830. 

Benjamin  Chew, Appointed  April  7,  1831. 

W.  H.  Stokes, • Elected  April  7,  1832. 

*  Mr.  Ijippitl  was  in  temporary  rharfre  of  the  congregation  for  a  year  pre- 
vious to  his  election  as  Rector. 


68 


Charles  M.  Stokes, Appointed  March  24,  1845. 

John  S.  Littell, Elected  April  28,  1851. 

Cor.  S.  Smith, Appointed  April  11,  1850. 

T.  A.  Newhall, Elected  March  26,  1856. 

J.  M.  Aertsen, Appointed  May  8,  1860. 

E.  R.  Cope, Elected  April  16, 1860. 

R.  P.  McCnllagh, Elected  April  19,  1865. 


LIST    OF    VESTRYMEN    OF  ST.  LUKE'S    CHTTROH,   WITH    THEIR 
TERMS  OF  SERVICE. 


James  Stokes,  1815-22,  1824, 

1826-.31. 
Thomas  Armat,  1815-22, 1824- 

25,  1827-28. 
James  Moyes,  1815-19. 
John  Coulter,  1815-29. 
John  ^lathews,  1815. 
Samuel  Betton,  M.D.  1815-28, 

1836,  1838. 
D.  H.  Conyngham,  1815-18. 
Charles  Riddle,  jr.,  1815, 1824, 

1826. 
Richard  Rayley,  1815-20. 
Cxodfrey  Twells,  1818-19. 
J.  M.  Price,  1818-25. 
J.  Tagert,  1818-84. 
P.  Baynton,  1818-19. 
C.   P.  Wayne,  1818-20. 
J.  Goddard,  1818-23. 
Edward  Twells,  1820-23. 
Joseph  Bullock,  jr.,  1820-23. 
John  Ashmead,  jr.,  1820-21. 
Alexander  Armor,  1821-22. 
Benj.  Chew,  1821 -.36,  1838.44. 
John    W.    Ashmead,  1822-36, 
,    1838-43. 


John  Harland,  1823. 

Dr.  P.  Tydiman,  1823-29. 

John  Perot,  1823. 

Rich.  R.  Baynton,  1824-27. 

Jona.     Williamson,     1824-28, 

1830-32. 
•Joseph  Burns,  1825. 
Thomas  Langley,  1825. 
William  Chancellor,  1826. 
Samuel  Wagner,  1826-36. 
Wyndham  H.  Stokes,  1827-36, 

1838-43. 
John  H.  Stevenson,  1828-29. 
John  Bowen,  1829. 
George  P.  Giddinge,  1829. 
Jacob   Chrall,  1829-36,   1838- 

39. 
James    J.    Skerrett,    1830-32, 

1844-49. 
William  Botten,  18.30-36. 
Edward  Baynton,  1880. 
Charles  M.  Stokes,  1830,  1833- 

36,  1838-49. 
William  ('rout,  1S31-.36. 
J.  B.  BowuKin,  1831-89. 
WillianiH.  Wayne,  1832-85. 


69 


E.  Littell,  1838-36,  1838. 
Henry  Burchell,183(),  1838.41. 
John  S.  Littell,  1838-56. 
R.  N.  McClenahan,  1838-40. 
Benj.  Jackson,  1838,  1840-46. 
Michael  W.  Ash,  1839. 
Cornelius  S.  Smith,  1839-60. 
Robert  Tomlinson,  1839-44. 
Thos.  W.  Smith,1840-43,  1851. 
Chas.  Treichel,  M.D.,  1840-55. 
John  H.  Bringhurst,  1841-46. 
Henry  S,  Mallory,  1842-43. 
Henry  J.  Squire,  1844-54. 
William    A.   Potter,   1844-54, 

1857-60. 
John  Burchell,  1845-49 
James  C  Kempton,  1845-48. 
D.  R.  King,  1847-56, 1860-67. 
H.  L.  Carson,1847-5l, 1857-59. 
Chas.  iMagarge,  1849-53, 1857- 

60,  1865-68. 
T.  A.  Newhall,  1850-59. 
J.  R.  Lambdin,  1850-68. 
John  S.  Twells,  1850-53. 
Michael  F.  Clark,  1852-66. 


John  G.  Watmough,  1852-54. 

R.    P.    McCullagh,    1854-56, 
1860-68. 

Samuel  Cox,  1854-56. 

E.  Otis  Kendall,  1855-56. 

R.  S.  Newbold,  1855-55. 

Edwin  R.  Cope,  1855-65. 

James  M.  Aertsen,  1856-68. 

Thomas  W.  Evans,  1857-59. 

J.  L.  Stellwagen,  1857-59. 

George  Blight,  1859-68. 

George  Strawbridge,  1860-62. 

T.  H.  Montgomery,  1860-68. 

J.  Parker  Doan,  1861-63. 

Charles  M.  Burns,  1861-65. 
I  William  H.  Webb,  1861-68. 
I  George  E.  Arnold,  1863,1868. 
i  Robert  B.  Aertsen,  1864. 
I  Charles  VV.  Otto,  1864. 

Robert  P.  Morton,  1865-68. 

Samuel  V.  Merrick,  1866-68. 

John  F.  Blandy,  18(i6-68. 

Charles  Treichel,  1867. 

W.  Frank  Potter,  1868. 

George  R.  Barker,  1868. 


70 


APPENDIX  E. 


The  following  table  of  Collections  and  Contributions  for 
twenty-five  years,  taken  from  the  Keports  in  the  Journals  of 
the  Diocesan  Convention,  will  serve  to  show  the  growth  and 
increase  of  the  Parish  during  that  time : 


FOR  THE  YEAK    ENDING 

PEW  RENTS.* 

AMOUNTS. 

May  1st,  1844, 

%    600  00 

"      "     1S4.5, 

1,000  00 

»      "     1846, 

2,050  00 

"       "     1847, 

600  00 

«       "     ]848, 

1,000  00 

«      "     1849, 

1,000  00 

"       "     1850, 

600  00 

"      »     1851. 

No  report. 

"      "     1852, 

4,000  00 

"      »     1853, 

,300  00 

"       "     1854, 

600  00 

"      "     1855, 

1,050  00 

"       "     1S56, 

1,750  00 

"      «     1857, 

5,547  00 

"      "     1858, 

3,233  00 

»       "     1859, 

5,728  00 

"      "     1860, 

3,200  00 

"      "     1861, 

S    3,126  00 

4,043  00 

"       «     1862, 

2,770  00 

3,376  02 

«       "     1863, 

3,102  00 

5,512  49 

"      •'     1864, 

3,058  00 

4,971  00 

«       «     1865, 

3  424  00 

7.178  28 

«      «     1866, 

3,594  00 

16,660  77 

»      "     1867, 

3,909  00 

11.940  00 

"       "     1868, 

4,645  00 

14,136  62 

$27,629  00 

$100,276  18 

Total,  $127,905  18. 


While  these  contributions,  for  twenty-five  years,  make  a  sum 
of  something  more  that  $100,000  over  and  above  the  pew  rents, 
it  will  still  be  seen  that  over  one-half  of  this  amount  has  been 
contributed  during  the  last  five  years. 


*  First  year  reports  of  these  were  culled  lor. 


BX5920 .P5S2 MS 

Sermon  at  the  semi-centennial 

Princeton  Theological  Seminary-Speer  Library 


1    1012  00050  7329 


•^.    ,v 


